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 Pennsylvania
Regional labor cost ranges for common DIY projects in Pennsylvania. These are estimates for planning purposes - always get multiple quotes from licensed local contractors.
Construction labor wages in Pennsylvania
Official BLS data · OEWS 2024The actual pay range for 20 building trades in Pennsylvania — 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 PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction supervisors | $27.16 | $38.60 | $62.57 | 26,590 |
| Carpenters | $18.90 | $28.48 | $44.31 | 29,900 |
| Cement masons & concrete finishers | $21.70 | $28.74 | $40.56 | 4,000 |
| Drywall & ceiling-tile installers | $18.77 | $28.01 | $35.47 | 1,610 |
| Tapers | $18.17 | $39.37 | $49.35 | 90 |
| Tile & stone setters | $19.75 | $28.37 | $37.54 | 600 |
| Floor layers (non-carpet) | $17.65 | $24.45 | $33.94 | 630 |
| Floor sanders & finishers | $18.43 | $25.86 | $36.94 | 120 |
| Carpet installers | $10.32 | $22.67 | $33.77 | 650 |
| Painters | $17.59 | $24.15 | $35.00 | 6,110 |
| Glaziers | $19.60 | $27.83 | $46.64 | 1,520 |
| Insulation workers | $16.98 | $23.61 | $42.02 | 660 |
| Plasterers & stucco masons | $13.82 | $30.03 | $36.69 | 230 |
| Brickmasons & blockmasons | $23.71 | $32.32 | $47.84 | 3,150 |
| Roofers | $18.26 | $23.67 | $38.59 | 3,540 |
| Electricians | $21.52 | $31.44 | $52.56 | 21,860 |
| Plumbers & pipefitters | $21.67 | $32.04 | $52.29 | 13,990 |
| HVAC technicians | $20.84 | $29.38 | $40.48 | 16,930 |
| Equipment operators | $21.60 | $28.16 | $45.60 | 20,680 |
| Construction laborers | $17.76 | $23.31 | $35.64 | 38,350 |
How building-trade pay has moved since 2019
Median hourly wage by year for Pennsylvania's headline trades — a 6-year OEWS series (2019–2024) that deepens with each annual BLS release.
$24.14 in 2019 → $28.48 in 2024
$29.93 in 2019 → $31.44 in 2024
$25.80 in 2019 → $32.04 in 2024
$18.88 in 2019 → $23.31 in 2024
State-specific BLS wage signals
These comparisons are calculated from the same official OEWS 2024 rows above, so they vary by Pennsylvania'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
$39.37/hr
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Largest reported construction trade
Construction laborers
38,350 employed
Source: BLS OEWS 2024
Biggest premium vs trade median
Tapers
+$8.15/hr vs $31.21
Median across states with this BLS trade row, OEWS 2024
Fastest median-wage growth
Tapers
+ 49% 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 Pennsylvania
When a project is beyond DIY scale, get quotes from licensed local contractors. Always verify contractor license status with Pennsylvania's contractor licensing board.