BuildTotals

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 Minnesota

Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Minnesota. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.

Construction labor wages in Minnesota

Official BLS data · OEWS 2024

The actual pay range for 20 building trades in Minnesota — 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 MN
Construction supervisors $30.33 $46.11 $59.45 11,960
Carpenters $22.04 $31.08 $46.11 15,190
Cement masons & concrete finishers $23.83 $30.58 $46.75 4,150
Drywall & ceiling-tile installers $23.09 $30.00 $54.22 560
Tapers $30.94 $41.82 $42.22 210
Tile & stone setters $21.98 $29.74 $37.02 530
Floor layers (non-carpet) $27.03 $42.78 $46.73
Floor sanders & finishers $23.63 $29.18 $31.87
Carpet installers $24.44 $39.50 $41.55
Painters $17.56 $29.28 $44.01 3,480
Glaziers $19.42 $32.29 $49.35 330
Insulation workers $22.47 $26.95 $41.77 1,120
Plasterers & stucco masons $11.23 $32.80 $46.87 110
Brickmasons & blockmasons $29.14 $42.87 $49.67 1,160
Roofers $21.79 $37.37 $46.72 2,010
Electricians $22.82 $39.15 $54.95 12,970
Plumbers & pipefitters $23.50 $40.04 $58.36 8,520
HVAC technicians $22.64 $35.29 $45.39 5,190
Equipment operators $26.25 $37.78 $46.42 8,290
Construction laborers $19.27 $28.23 $40.78 27,510

How building-trade pay has moved since 2019

Median hourly wage by year for Minnesota's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.

Carpenters +19% since 2019
$31.08/hr

$26.05 in 2019 → $31.08 in 2024

Electricians +20% since 2019
$39.15/hr

$32.71 in 2019 → $39.15 in 2024

Plumbers & pipefitters +12% since 2019
$40.04/hr

$35.69 in 2019 → $40.04 in 2024

Construction laborers +25% since 2019
$28.23/hr

$22.61 in 2019 → $28.23 in 2024

State-specific BLS wage signals

These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Minnesota'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

Construction supervisors

$46.11/hr

Source: BLS OEWS 2024

Largest reported construction trade

Construction laborers

27,510 employed

Source: BLS OEWS 2024

Biggest premium vs trade median

Floor layers (non-carpet)

+$19.24/hr vs $23.54

Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024

Fastest median-wage growth

Floor layers (non-carpet)

+ 108% 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).

Concrete labor (per cu yd installed) $82 - $138
Interior painting (per sq ft) $1.80 - $3.20
6ft privacy fence (per linear ft) $20 - $40
LVP/laminate flooring install (per sq ft) $2.30 - $4.40
Drywall hang+tape+mud (per sq ft) $1.80 - $3.20

Find a contractor in Minnesota

When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Minnesota's contractor licensing board.