Paving & Surfacing Operators vs Construction Laborers
Median pay is about $6k higher for Paving & Surfacing Operators. The usual entry education is high school for Paving & Surfacing Operators and no formal credential for Construction Laborers.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Paving & Surfacing Operators | Construction Laborers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $53,340, higher | $47,120 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $45,610, higher | $38,620 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $64,720, higher | $59,740 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | -0.9% Declining | +7.3% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 3,100 | 120,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | No formal credential |
| Difficulty modeled | 2 / 5 | 1.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 40th pct | 12th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Paving & Surfacing Operators
- Active Learning
Only Construction Laborers
- Writing
Both lean on monitoring, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
Compare Paving & Surfacing Operators with
Compare Construction Laborers with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.