Labor Benchmarks
Construction Hourly Earnings Index for May 2026
A public earnings-index reference for labor escalation reviews in construction estimates.
By HireConstructionEstimator Editorial Team | Published August 2, 2026
1 primary + 20 reader context sources | Verified August 2, 2026
Construction Hourly Earnings Index in May 2026
Key stats
BLS reported a construction average-hourly-earnings index of 201.7 in May 2026 for production and nonsupervisory employees, with 1982 equal to 100.
Contents
Key takeaways
- The index increased 0.4 percent from April to May 2026.
- An index measures change relative to a base period; it is not an hourly wage quote.
- Local wage scales, burdens, premiums, and crew mix still control a project labor rate.
Key data table
Use this table as a review aid. The headline statistic is sourced directly; the interpretation rows explain how to apply it without treating a market benchmark as a project quote.
| Data point | What it says | Estimator control |
|---|---|---|
| Primary statistic | BLS reported a construction average-hourly-earnings index of 201.7 in May 2026 for production and nonsupervisory employees, with 1982 equal to 100. | Source 1. Validate the project basis. |
| Interpretation 1 | The index increased 0.4 percent from April to May 2026. | Source 1. Validate the project basis. |
| Interpretation 2 | An index measures change relative to a base period; it is not an hourly wage quote. | Source 1. Validate the project basis. |
What the data can and cannot do
Public labor, spending, productivity, and price series provide a common baseline. They can reveal direction, scale, and unusual movement. They cannot identify the exact labor crew, subcontractor coverage, waste factor, access constraint, or escalation risk on a specific project.
A responsible estimate keeps the public benchmark separate from local bid history. Record the source date, geography, units, seasonal treatment, and any conversion before using the number in an estimate review.
How estimators should use it
- Use index movement to challenge escalation assumptions.
- Never enter the index level itself as a wage or unit rate.
Add a source note beside every adjusted rate. If the benchmark and recent quotes disagree, do not average them automatically. Investigate geography, scope, timing, units, and market segment first.
Data sources and methodology
The primary statistic is transcribed from the source identified in the source notes below. The additional links are a consistent reader reference set for broader labor, construction volume, productivity, and regional context. They do not support or alter the headline figure and are not presented as article-specific evidence.
- The index and monthly change appear in the May 2026 Employment Situation tables.
- BLS identifies the covered employee group in the table notes.
Conservative convention: retain the published unit and date, avoid false precision, and treat national or sector data as a planning signal until local project evidence confirms it.
Frequently asked questions
Can this statistic set a project unit rate?
No. It can challenge or frame an assumption, but a project rate still needs current scope, geography, crew, productivity, supplier, and subcontractor evidence.
How often should the source be checked?
Check the primary release before a major estimate update and record the release or access date in the estimate notes.
Why are reader context sources included?
They give readers a consistent path to broader official construction and labor series. They are not evidence for the headline statistic and do not replace or alter its primary source.
Conclusion
BLS reported a construction average-hourly-earnings index of 201.7 in May 2026 for production and nonsupervisory employees, with 1982 equal to 100. Use the figure as a documented benchmark, preserve the source date and units, and require project-specific evidence before changing a bid assumption. Review our construction estimating process for the control sequence. If you need production capacity around that review process, see our construction estimator VA service.