Analysis Shows Higher Learning Equals Higher Pay For Construction Workers

The Construction Labor Research Council recently completed an analysis of special tabulations from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey that solidifies the value of an education for construction workers. The analysis showed that concurrent with most professions, as level of education increases, so does salary. From 2000-2001, construction workers with an associate's degree averaged a $55,000 annual income, workers with some college but no degree earned $51,000, workers with a high school diploma made $49,000, and workers without a high school diploma earned $38,000. A separate analysis of new BLS educational attainment data shows that for 11 construction trades, between 25% and 50% of all workers ages 25 through 44 have at least some college education, and just more than half of electricians have completed at least some college courses.