47 Series · SOC 47-4031
Fence Erectors Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $47,980
- Median / year
- $70,010
- Top 10% earn
- +4.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 24,480
- US workers
Fence Erectors earn a median of $47,980 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $47,980, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $35,810 (10th percentile) to $70,010 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 24,480 US workers. Alaska pays the most ($64,600), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Fence Erectors earn a median of $47,980, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 28% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #50 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.6% by 2033.
- $47,980
- Median annual wage
- Top 72%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #50 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $64,600. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Fence Erectors (SOC 47-4031) pays a national median of $47,980 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $35,810 at the 10th percentile to $70,010 at the 90th, with a mean of $50,530 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 24,480 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 65 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $64,600, which is +35% above the national figure. The top metro is Anchorage, AK at $64,600 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$47,980
per year
Median Hourly
$23.07/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$50,530
average
Employment
24,480
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Fence Erectors pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$47,980 Bottom 28% higher than 28% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Fence Erectors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 47-series occupations with growth data, Fence Erectors sits on the slower-growing side at +4.6% growth and $47,980 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.6%
About average
Annual Openings
2,300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Fence Erectors roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Establish the location for a fence, and gather information needed to ensure that there are no electric cables or water lines in the area.
- ▸ Set metal or wooden posts in upright positions in postholes.
- ▸ Measure and lay out fence lines and mark posthole positions, following instructions, drawings, or specifications.
- ▸ Align posts, by lines or sighting, and verify vertical alignment of posts, using plumb bobs or spirit levels.
- ▸ Attach rails or tension wire along bottoms of posts to form fencing frames.
- ▸ Dig postholes, using spades, posthole diggers, or power-driven augers.
- ▸ Attach fence rail supports to posts, using hammers and pliers.
- ▸ Assemble gates, and fasten gates into position, using hand tools.
- ▸ Mix and pour concrete around bases of posts, or tamp soil into postholes to embed posts.
- ▸ Make rails for fences, by sawing lumber or by cutting metal tubing to required lengths.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$35,810
25th Percentile
$40,400
Median
$47,980
75th Percentile
$58,610
90th Percentile
$70,010
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $64,600 | +35% above national |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $58,600 | +22% above national |
| 3 | Minnesota | $57,260 | +19% above national |
| 4 | New Jersey | $56,690 | +18% above national |
| 5 | California | $56,060 | +17% above national |
| 6 | Montana | $55,720 | +16% above national |
| 7 | Connecticut | $53,180 | +11% above national |
| 8 | Iowa | $52,510 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Washington | $51,860 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Louisiana | $51,770 | +8% above national |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $51,410 | +7% above national |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $50,850 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Illinois | $50,710 | +6% above national |
| 14 | Delaware | $50,630 | +6% above national |
| 15 | Nebraska | $50,120 | +4% above national |
| 16 | North Dakota | $49,310 | +3% above national |
| 17 | Utah | $48,720 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Massachusetts | $48,430 | +1% above national |
| 19 | Colorado | $48,380 | +1% above national |
| 20 | South Dakota | $48,380 | +1% above national |
| 21 | New York | $48,000 | same as national |
| 22 | Ohio | $47,870 | same as national |
| 23 | Indiana | $47,520 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Kansas | $47,130 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Nevada | $46,940 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Rhode Island | $46,450 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Arizona | $46,270 | 4% below national |
| 28 | Arkansas | $46,150 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $45,800 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Florida | $45,550 | 5% below national |
| 31 | Tennessee | $45,330 | 6% below national |
| 32 | Maine | $45,310 | 6% below national |
| 33 | West Virginia | $45,040 | 6% below national |
| 34 | Oregon | $44,580 | 7% below national |
| 35 | New Mexico | $44,450 | 7% below national |
| 36 | Missouri | $43,290 | 10% below national |
| 37 | Virginia | $40,050 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Alabama | $39,820 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Wyoming | $39,750 | 17% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $39,100 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Mississippi | $38,700 | 19% below national |
| 42 | South Carolina | $37,960 | 21% below national |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $37,870 | 21% below national |
| 44 | Texas | $37,270 | 22% below national |
| 45 | Georgia | $36,990 | 23% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 65 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $64,600 | +35% above national |
| 2 | New Haven, CT | $60,310 | +26% above national |
| 3 | Modesto, CA | $59,600 | +24% above national |
| 4 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $59,530 | +24% above national |
| 5 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $58,750 | +22% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $58,640 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $58,610 | +22% above national |
| 8 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,250 | +21% above national |
| 9 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $57,600 | +20% above national |
| 10 | Billings, MT | $57,380 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $56,310 | +17% above national |
| 12 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $55,440 | +16% above national |
| 13 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $55,060 | +15% above national |
| 14 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $54,820 | +14% above national |
| 15 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $54,250 | +13% above national |
| 16 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $53,560 | +12% above national |
| 17 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $52,510 | +9% above national |
| 18 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,600 | +8% above national |
| 19 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $51,580 | +8% above national |
| 20 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $50,290 | +5% above national |
| 21 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $49,750 | +4% above national |
| 22 | Fargo, ND-MN | $49,410 | +3% above national |
| 23 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $49,350 | +3% above national |
| 24 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $49,220 | +3% above national |
| 25 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $49,210 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $49,160 | +2% above national |
| 27 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $48,870 | +2% above national |
| 28 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $48,820 | +2% above national |
| 29 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $48,530 | +1% above national |
| 30 | Reno, NV | $48,530 | +1% above national |
| 31 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $48,410 | +1% above national |
| 32 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,350 | +1% above national |
| 33 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $48,230 | +1% above national |
| 34 | Helena, MT | $48,170 | same as national |
| 35 | Ogden, UT | $47,840 | same as national |
| 36 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $47,700 | 1% below national |
| 37 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $47,000 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $46,880 | 2% below national |
| 39 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $46,820 | 2% below national |
| 40 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,450 | 3% below national |
| 41 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,390 | 3% below national |
| 42 | Fort Wayne, IN | $46,160 | 4% below national |
| 43 | Jackson, TN | $45,800 | 5% below national |
| 44 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,550 | 5% below national |
| 45 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $45,350 | 5% below national |
| 46 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $45,070 | 6% below national |
| 47 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $45,040 | 6% below national |
| 48 | Chico, CA | $44,800 | 7% below national |
| 49 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $44,610 | 7% below national |
| 50 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $44,450 | 7% below national |
| 51 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,350 | 8% below national |
| 52 | Bangor, ME | $44,320 | 8% below national |
| 53 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $44,320 | 8% below national |
| 54 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $44,080 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Charleston, WV | $41,600 | 13% below national |
| 56 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $40,570 | 15% below national |
| 57 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $39,750 | 17% below national |
| 58 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $39,720 | 17% below national |
| 59 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $39,230 | 18% below national |
| 60 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $38,700 | 19% below national |
| 61 | Tulsa, OK | $38,480 | 20% below national |
| 62 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $37,420 | 22% below national |
| 63 | Winston-Salem, NC | $36,580 | 24% below national |
| 64 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $36,360 | 24% below national |
| 65 | East Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $34,520 | 28% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Fence Erectors make? ▼
What state pays Fence Erectors the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Fence Erectors? ▼
How dangerous is being a Fence Erectors? ▼
Is Fence Erectors a good career? ▼
How does Fence Erectors pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Fence Erectors? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Fence Erectors pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $58,610/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $64,600/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.