Analysis: Miami area construction pay ranks last among big metros once living costs are factored in

Cranes are a constant in South Florida skylines, but construction crews there are getting less real value from their wages than their counterparts in every other major U.S. metropolitan area, new research shows. A new analysis by online industry publication and research outlet Construction Coverage found construction workers in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties earn a median $50,650 a year. The region s cost of living runs 14.2% above the national average, however, so those earnings are equal to $44,369 — the lowest of any U.S. metro with 1 million or more residents. For context, the median annual wage for all workers in the tri-county region, across every occupation, is $48,640. That means construction jobs in the Miami area pay only about $2,000, or roughly 4%, more than the typical local job before adjustment. Nationally, the gap is far wider. Construction workers across the U.S. earn a median $59,540, nearly 17% more than the $50,980 median for all occupations. Image via