Estimated — not yet source-verified.Estimated - not yet source-verified. This cost range is a general knowledge estimate we have not yet confirmed against current regional pricing data. Treat it as a rough guide only and get local contractor quotes.
Contractor costs in Hawaii
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Hawaii. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Hawaii
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 17 building trades in Hawaii — 10th percentile, median, and 90th percentile hourly wages straight from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the verified labor-cost floor behind the project estimates below, not a national average.
Scroll the table horizontally to compare all wage columns. Keyboard: focus the table, then use the arrow keys.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in HI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $32.60 | $48.93 | $61.95 | 2,940 |
| Carpenters | $24.42 | $41.33 | $56.61 | 5,630 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $22.88 | $43.05 | $51.67 | 750 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $24.56 | $50.32 | $58.54 | 820 |
| Tapers | $28.27 | $47.02 | $48.71 | 180 |
| Tile & stone setters | $28.02 | $46.19 | $60.96 | 550 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $21.55 | $36.22 | $57.69 | 300 |
| Painters | $22.51 | $32.51 | $43.17 | 1,630 |
| Glaziers | $26.59 | $40.51 | $51.20 | 370 |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $21.97 | $47.63 | $50.42 | 70 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $33.96 | $37.15 | $40.77 | 50 |
| Roofers | $21.29 | $27.38 | $36.87 | 1,000 |
| Electricians | $21.14 | $40.00 | $58.20 | 3,020 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $22.55 | $37.76 | $55.36 | 2,640 |
| HVAC technicians | $22.01 | $30.67 | $43.22 | 1,110 |
| Equipment operators | $27.84 | $50.69 | $61.93 | 1,740 |
| Construction laborers | $18.00 | $31.78 | $46.37 | 4,140 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Hawaii's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$36.53 in 2019 → $41.33 in 2024
$36.20 in 2019 → $40.00 in 2024
$30.92 in 2019 → $37.76 in 2024
$28.11 in 2019 → $31.78 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Hawaii's actual trade mix instead of repeating a national average. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates - a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin.
Highest median wage in state
Equipment operators
$50.69/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Carpenters
5,630 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Drywall & ceiling-tile installers
+$25.29/hr vs $25.04
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Tile & stone setters
+ 54% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS 2019–2024. These are worker wages, not contractor billing rates — a contractor's quote adds overhead, insurance, equipment, and margin (commonly 1.5–3× the base wage).
Find a contractor in Hawaii
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Hawaii's contractor licensing board.