Commercial construction recruiters serving Scranton-Wilkes-Barre.
Standard Scranton-Wilkes-Barre superintendents price close to national. Superintendents with hyperscale data center or healthcare delivery experience are the exception - Geisinger's tower and two competing data centers all need that profile.
A modest baseline premium, plus a $900M hospital tower and two competing data centers.
Standard commercial construction superintendents and estimators in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre run a modest premium above the national average - 2% and 3% respectively.
Superintendents with hyperscale data center or healthcare delivery experience are the exception. The metro's own data names this directly: Geisinger's $900M patient tower and AWS's and NorthPoint's competing data-center campuses are all drawing on specialized labor.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial GCs in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, and we verify real critical-power or occupied-hospital delivery experience rather than a line on a resume.
The story behind the scarcity.
A major hospital tower, plus two data-center giants competing for the same corridor.
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An 11-story, 600,000 sq ft patient tower increasing capacity from 356 to 500 beds - structural steel complete July 2026, opening Q1 2028, with campus renovations continuing through 2030.
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One of two Amazon Web Services data centers in the state, with capacity Amazon has not publicly disclosed - the direct driver of the critical-power electrician wage premium this page borrows from.
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A 15-building data center campus proposed on approximately 1,280 acres - Hazle Township supervisors denied the permit Nov 2025 (developer appealing), so this is a proposal, not a confirmed active project.
What you'll actually pay - by role.
Hourly wage ranges based on BLS OEWS data for the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre MSA. The superintendent and estimator rows both match the metro overview's own published figures directly. Read the "notes" column for context on the derived data-center/healthcare premium. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Construction Salary Guide.
| Role | Metro wage range | Typical experience | Market notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant project manager | $33 – $42/hr | 2-5 yrs | Scaled proportionally below the derived project manager row, consistent with the ratio used on our Dallas-Fort Worth commercial-construction page |
| Project manager (commercial GC) | $46 – $59/hr | 5-10 yrs | Scaled proportionally below the published superintendent row, consistent with the ratio used on our Dallas-Fort Worth commercial-construction page |
| Safety manager | $38 – $48/hr | 5+ yrs | Scaled to Scranton-Wilkes-Barre's general commercial-construction wage baseline; hyperscale data-center and occupied-hospital delivery both carry elevated safety scope |
| Commercial construction manager / superintendent | $54 – $69/hr | 10+ yrs | Matches the commercial construction superintendent figure already published on the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metro overview directly (+2% over national) |
| Superintendent (hyperscale data center / healthcare delivery portfolio) | $66 – $85/hr | 10+ yrs | A +23% derived premium over the published standard-superintendent row, borrowed from the hub's own data center electrician/critical-power technician wage row - the hub's own text calls this the single largest premium in the metro, tied to AWS's and NorthPoint's concurrent data-center projects |
| Commercial estimator (5+ yrs) | $43 – $56/hr | 5+ yrs | Matches the commercial estimator figure already published on the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metro overview directly (+3% over national) |
Source: BLS OEWS (Scranton-Wilkes-Barre MSA), construction management occupational codes, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on portfolio type (standard commercial vs. hyperscale data center/healthcare), years of experience, and project complexity.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre commercial construction hiring game actually plays out in 2026. The five things below are what we tell every Scranton-Wilkes-Barre construction client at intake.
Why hyperscale data center / healthcare delivery experience is the scarcest credential
Scranton-Wilkes-Barre's own market data names superintendents with hyperscale data center or healthcare delivery experience as the clear premium hire across Geisinger's $900M tower and two concurrent data center projects.
Where Scranton-Wilkes-Barre commercial construction talent comes from
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial GCs in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre. Standard superintendents and PMs price close to national parity, drawing on a genuinely available regional pipeline. Data-center/healthcare-portfolio superintendents are the harder fill, split across three concurrent large-scale projects.
Credentials worth filtering for
Pennsylvania has no statewide electrical, plumbing, or HVAC contractor license - commercial trades licensing is set locally by each of Pennsylvania's 2,562 municipalities. What actually separates candidates in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre: verified critical-power or occupied-hospital delivery experience.
What candidates expect from a Scranton-Wilkes-Barre construction-management offer in 2026
Standard superintendent comp runs about 2% above national and estimator comp about 3% above. Data-center/healthcare-portfolio candidates expect a real premium given AWS and NorthPoint are competing nationally for the same scarce labor pool.
Realistic timelines, by role
Project managers and assistant PMs: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer for conventional roles. Data-center/healthcare-portfolio superintendents run considerably longer, typically 9-12 weeks, because AWS's and NorthPoint's concurrent data center projects need a very specific, scarce skill set that's in demand nationally. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The construction-management positions we fill, most often.
Across all Scranton-Wilkes-Barre commercial construction clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. Data-center/healthcare-portfolio superintendents are the role in genuine short supply - everything else draws on Scranton-Wilkes-Barre's own available regional pipeline.
- Assistant project manager
- Project manager (commercial GC)
- Safety manager
- Superintendent
- Superintendent (hyperscale data center / healthcare delivery portfolio)
- Senior estimator
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, see the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre metro overview. To learn more about commercial construction generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Commercial Construction industry page.
How we recruit commercial construction in Scranton, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre's commercial construction segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Scranton-Wilkes-Barre construction management, we also confirm whether the role needs hyperscale data center or healthcare delivery experience specifically, since that changes both the sourcing pool and the offer math substantially.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Scranton-Wilkes-Barre construction-management candidate network for standard roles. For data-center/healthcare-portfolio roles, we draw on a national candidate pool with verified critical-power or occupied-hospital delivery experience.
- Vetted short list (week one for standard roles). Three to five candidates. We verify real project-delivery history - dollar value, portfolio type, OSHA 30 - rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Project managers and assistant PMs close in 4-6 weeks. Data-center/healthcare-portfolio superintendents run considerably longer, typically 9-12 weeks. We help with offer math against Scranton-Wilkes-Barre's own wage table.
Scranton runs 67% fewer commercial construction workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Construction Managers (nearest published occupation for this trade). Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Scranton's commercial construction market compares
In 2023 the Scranton metro had 59 commercial and institutional building contractors (counted by business location), with about 1,358 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $76,829, 20.4% below the national average of $96,510 for the same kind of employer. Headcount grew 4.4% over the year, a little behind the 5.2% national increase. The number of these employers fell 3.3%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. That works out to 10 per 100,000 residents against 17 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro. These firms account for 14.1% of all construction employment in the metro.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Scranton ranks 97th for headcount, 54th for median pay and 96th for concentration for construction managers. That makes it one of the thinnest commercial construction labor markets we recruit in.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 3,390 | $124,990 | 0.48 | 782 |
| Pittsburgh | 1,420 | $103,420 | 0.52 | 328 |
| Lancaster | 440 | $101,490 | 0.72 | 108 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem | 360 | $112,900 | 0.39 | 79 |
| Harrisburg | 350 | $106,720 | 0.42 | 79 |
| Scranton | 210 | $108,500 | 0.33 | 59 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial construction employers in Scranton, the local pool is thin but growing. Expect a mix of local candidates and people recruited in from nearby metros, and budget for relocation on senior roles.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Scranton metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Scranton's commercial construction market has changed since 2018.
Scranton lost commercial and institutional building contractors between 2018 and 2023, from 64 business locations to 59 (down 8%), behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount at those firms went up 21%, to about 1,358 people, so fewer firms are employing more people each. Average annual pay there went from $61,277 to $76,829 (+25%), in step with the 24% national increase.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial and institutional building contractors: business locations | 64 | 59 | −8% |
| Commercial and institutional building contractors: employment | 1,119 | 1,358 | +21% |
| Commercial and institutional building contractors: average annual pay | $61,277 | $76,829 | +25% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial construction hiring in Scranton.
Why is hyperscale data center and healthcare delivery experience the scarcest hire in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
Geisinger is completing a $900M patient tower expansion while AWS and NorthPoint Development are both building competing data center campuses nearby. That combination is why data center electricians/critical-power technicians run about 23% above national - the metro's own data calls this the single largest premium in the market.
Does Pennsylvania require a general contractor license for commercial construction work in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
No - Pennsylvania has no statewide electrical, plumbing, or HVAC contractor license. Commercial trades licensing is set locally by each of Pennsylvania's 2,562 municipalities.
Are Scranton-Wilkes-Barre commercial construction wages higher than the national average?
Modestly for standard roles - superintendents run about 2% above national and estimators about 3% above. The real premium is portfolio-specific: data-center/healthcare-portfolio superintendents command considerably more than the standard rate.
What do construction laborers earn in Scranton?
BLS puts the Scranton median for construction laborers at $48,290 a year, about the same as the $47,120 national median. That ranks 48th of 112 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $37,330 and $73,170, a 2.0x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience. Within Pennsylvania, Philadelphia pays more, at $55,120.
Is it hard to hire construction laborers in Scranton?
Yes. Scranton has 20% fewer construction laborers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,450 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 59 commercial and institutional building contractors here average about 23 employees per location.
Which commercial construction roles pay the most in Scranton?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Scranton, a $108,500 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Carpenter at $60,240, 44% below it. Construction Laborer is the lowest-paid field role at $48,290. Project Manager trails national pay the most (6% below).
How many commercial and institutional building contractors operate in Scranton?
BLS counted 59 commercial and institutional building contractors in Scranton in 2023, employing about 1,358 people between them. Down from 64 in 2018, a 8% decline against 13% growth nationally. That averages 23 people per location. They pay an average of $76,829, 20% below the $96,510 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Scranton for construction laborers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Allentown-Bethlehem (56 miles, about 1,670, $49,290 median), New York (99 miles, about 50,870, $61,270 median) and Lancaster (100 miles, about 2,270, $48,670 median). New York has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. New York pays 27% more, which is where Scranton employers tend to lose people.
We have not closed a commercial construction search in Scranton yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in Scranton than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- HVAC TechnicianA senior technician across commercial and industrial HVAC and refrigeration.
3 commercial construction seats are open in Pennsylvania right now.
Nothing is open for this trade in Scranton this week. These are the live commercial construction searches elsewhere in Pennsylvania - commuting distance for some of them, a relocation conversation for the rest.
Every open role we are running →
Board last synced September 28, 2026. Roles move fast; /jobs/ is always the current list.
Hiring commercial construction talent in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre?
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