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How to Become a General Contractor: Pay and Training by State

General contractors in the US earned a median $38.42 an hour, or $79,920 a year, in May 2025.[1] Washington has the highest state median, $52.68, and Arkansas the lowest, $29.44.[2] BLS has no general contractor occupation; figures are for first-line supervisors of construction trades (SOC 47-1011).

Alabama: $30.83 an hourAlaska: $49.10 an hourArizona: $37.76 an hourColorado: $39.05 an hourFlorida: $36.44 an hourGeorgia: $37.71 an hourIndiana: $39.68 an hourKansas: $36.91 an hourMaine: $37.16 an hourMassachusetts: $47.04 an hourMinnesota: $46.93 an hourNew Jersey: $50.73 an hourNorth Carolina: $36.19 an hourNorth Dakota: $39.12 an hourOklahoma: $35.11 an hourPennsylvania: $39.20 an hourSouth Dakota: $37.35 an hourTexas: $35.83 an hourWyoming: $37.62 an hourConnecticut: $44.36 an hourMissouri: $42.08 an hourWest Virginia: $38.49 an hourIllinois: $50.84 an hourNew Mexico: $36.12 an hourArkansas: $29.44 an hourCalifornia: $46.96 an hourDelaware: $38.99 an hourDistrict of Columbia: $41.60 an hourHawaii: $49.34 an hourIowa: $37.75 an hourKentucky: $35.33 an hourMaryland: $37.87 an hourMichigan: $37.59 an hourMississippi: $32.17 an hourMontana: $36.98 an hourNew Hampshire: $39.05 an hourNew York: $46.01 an hourOhio: $38.26 an hourOregon: $49.55 an hourTennessee: $35.81 an hourUtah: $37.15 an hourVirginia: $37.81 an hourWashington: $52.68 an hourWisconsin: $41.03 an hourNebraska: $36.33 an hourSouth Carolina: $36.23 an hourIdaho: $36.32 an hourNevada: $39.42 an hourVermont: $39.66 an hourLouisiana: $36.23 an hourRhode Island: $47.40 an hour
under $36.23$36.23 to $37.62$37.62 to $39.05$39.05 to $46.93$46.93 and up

Median hourly pay by state. Select a state for its pay by percentile and city.

What is the pay range for general contractors in the US?

The middle half of general contractors earned $30.48 to $48.78 an hour; the top tenth earned $61.66 or more.[1]

10th
$25.62
25th
$30.48
Median
$38.42
75th
$48.78
90th
$61.66
10th
$53,280
25th
$63,400
Median
$79,920
75th
$101,460
90th
$128,260
Percentiles of general contractor pay in the US, May 2025. The middle bar spans the 25th to 75th percentile; the red mark is the median.

Are general contractors in demand?

Projections Central expects US general contractor jobs to grow 5.3% from 921,600 in 2024 to 970,600 in 2034, with about 74,400 openings a year.[3]

General Contractor pay and training by state

Median pay (BLS, May 2025), registered apprenticeship sponsors (apprenticeship.gov) and schools with programs (College Scorecard).

StateMedian hourlyMedian annualJobsSponsorsSchools
Alabama$30.83$64,12013,580115
Alaska$49.10$102,1402,690113
Arizona$37.76$78,55021,5502014
Arkansas$29.44$61,2306,590610
California$46.96$97,68071,7501969
Colorado$39.05$81,23021,3801510
Connecticut$44.36$92,2606,980342
Delaware$38.99$81,1002,590251
District of Columbia$41.60$86,5201,420111
Florida$36.44$75,79069,8304025
Georgia$37.71$78,43026,770816
Hawaii$49.34$102,6302,89032
Idaho$36.32$75,5506,730224
Illinois$50.84$105,75019,3401923
Indiana$39.68$82,53016,450248
Iowa$37.75$78,5109,660235
Kansas$36.91$76,7808,940138
Kentucky$35.33$73,4909,620115
Louisiana$36.23$75,36014,070611
Maine$37.16$77,2903,130175
Maryland$37.87$78,76015,4002112
Massachusetts$47.04$97,85018,330279
Michigan$37.59$78,18016,6603117
Minnesota$46.93$97,61013,5803717
Mississippi$32.17$66,9107,040115
Missouri$42.08$87,52013,330398
Montana$36.98$76,9104,350193
Nebraska$36.33$75,5706,020118
Nevada$39.42$81,9909,68074
New Hampshire$39.05$81,2203,590122
New Jersey$50.73$105,51016,2301206
New Mexico$36.12$75,1306,790111
New York$46.01$95,70029,6003319
North Carolina$36.19$75,27032,4602224
North Dakota$39.12$81,3704,35042
Ohio$38.26$79,58023,6401915
Oklahoma$35.11$73,04011,520713
Oregon$49.55$103,0707,89064
Pennsylvania$39.20$81,54026,8603723
Rhode Island$47.40$98,5902,060292
South Carolina$36.23$75,35013,1501711
South Dakota$37.35$77,6902,360115
Tennessee$35.81$74,47017,7701226
Texas$35.83$74,52090,0107415
Utah$37.15$77,28014,270137
Vermont$39.66$82,4901,010102
Virginia$37.81$78,64024,970374
Washington$52.68$109,57019,5503316
West Virginia$38.49$80,0605,38043
Wisconsin$41.03$85,35015,150316
Wyoming$37.62$78,2503,27044
United States$38.42$79,920812,210

Other trades

Sources

  1. BLS OEWS national estimates: First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011), May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
  2. BLS OEWS state estimates, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)
  3. Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
  4. U.S. Department of Labor, apprenticeship.gov registered apprenticeship partners (apprenticeship.gov)
  5. U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (field of study and institution data) (collegescorecard.ed.gov)