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 Massachusetts
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Massachusetts. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Massachusetts
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 19 building trades in Massachusetts — 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.
| Trade | 10th %ile | Median /hr | 90th %ile | Employed in MA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $31.35 | $46.87 | $63.23 | 20,110 |
| Carpenters | $22.43 | $34.19 | $58.23 | 19,100 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $22.11 | $30.73 | $47.72 | 1,690 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $18.70 | $32.40 | $38.73 | 890 |
| Tapers | $28.92 | $51.77 | $54.05 | 290 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $22.82 | $30.85 | $54.10 | 940 |
| Floor sanders & finishers | $16.76 | $22.61 | $29.84 | — |
| Carpet installers | $22.25 | $23.39 | $32.56 | — |
| Painters | $17.73 | $26.86 | $41.11 | 4,830 |
| Glaziers | $27.41 | $48.83 | $52.19 | 1,550 |
| Insulation workers | $19.70 | $27.47 | $43.09 | 830 |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $30.42 | $41.26 | $54.08 | 150 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $29.96 | $45.37 | $62.95 | 1,170 |
| Roofers | $19.73 | $34.79 | $49.82 | 2,200 |
| Electricians | $22.73 | $39.48 | $59.13 | 16,570 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $22.99 | $40.03 | $67.55 | 15,670 |
| HVAC technicians | $23.82 | $37.02 | $52.51 | 7,960 |
| Equipment operators | $24.04 | $35.00 | $59.93 | 10,360 |
| Construction laborers | $21.59 | $30.02 | $46.99 | 16,800 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Massachusetts's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$28.13 in 2019 → $34.19 in 2024
$32.73 in 2019 → $39.48 in 2024
$32.78 in 2019 → $40.03 in 2024
$24.45 in 2019 → $30.02 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Massachusetts'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
Tapers
$51.77/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction supervisors
20,110 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Glaziers
+$21.55/hr vs $27.28
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Glaziers
+ 91% since 2019
Source: BLS OEWS 2019-2024
Pending wage detail pages for review
These generated detail pages are noindex and excluded from sitemap until the YMYL data audit approves them.
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 Massachusetts
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Massachusetts's contractor licensing board.