Construction and Extraction · Holland code RC
Fence Erectors
Erect and repair fences and fence gates, using hand and power tools.
Also called: Fence Builder, Fence Erector, Fence Installer, Fence Laborer, Fence Contractor, Fence Mechanic, Fence Technician (Fence Tech), Gate Technician (Gate Tech).
O*NET 47-4031.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $47,980
- Middle half earn $40,400 to $58,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 48% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening3.0 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
- Monitoring3.0 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.5 / 5
- Mathematics2.3 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.0 / 5
- Building and Construction4.0 / 5
- Transportation3.9 / 5
- Administration and Management3.8 / 5
- Design3.7 / 5
- Mathematics3.5 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative18
- Artistic6
- Social6
- Enterprising0
- Conventional45
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- house builder · DE Rohbaufacharbeiter/Rohbaufacharbeiterin · FR constructeur de maisons individuelles/constructrice de maisons individuelles
- bricklayer · DE Maurer/Maurerin · FR maçon/maçonne
- door installer · DE Türenbauer/Türenbauerin · FR installateur de portes/installatrice de portes
- staircase installer · DE Treppenbauer/Treppenbauerin · FR installateur d’escalier/installatrice d’escalier
- garden labourer · DE Gartenhilfsarbeiter/Gartenhilfsarbeiterin · FR aide jardinier/aide jardinière
- civil engineering worker · DE Tiefbauhelfer/Tiefbauhelferin · FR ouvrier génie civil/ouvrière génie civil
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Groundworkers (9121)33,500 employed
- Bricklayers (5313)49,300 employed
- Road construction operatives (8152)13,400 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Elementary occupations”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €29,579 |
| Sweden | €28,305 |
| Austria | €27,215 |
| Netherlands | €24,577 |
| Ireland | €24,331 |
| Germany | €22,430 |
| Italy | €22,101 |
| France | €21,664 |
| Spain | €17,502 |
| Portugal | €9,424 |
| Poland | €7,534 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.90. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (47-4031).
Related careers
Is it a fit for you?
Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.
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