According to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government data released on June 5, 2026, construction firms added 17,000 jobs in May. Construction employment totaled 8,337,000 in May, an increase of 17,000 since April. Over the year, the industry has added 68,000 jobs, an increase of 0.8%. Residential construction employment inched up by 900 positions in May and specialty trade contractors added 2,600 positions for the month. Additionally, overall construction pay rose by 5% over the past year. “The construction industry will continue to add…
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Residential construction labor market remains resilient
Despite rising inflation and ongoing economic uncertainty, the U.S. labor market remained resilient in May 2026. Residential construction employment now stands at 3.3 million in May, including 925,000 workers employed by builders and remodelers and nearly 2.4 million residential specialty trade contractors. Employment in the overall construction sector rose by 17,000 jobs in May, following a gain of 9,000 in April. Within the industry, residential construction added 900 jobs, while non-residential construction added 15,700 jobs. Wage growth moderated in May, with average hourly earnings rising 3.4% year-over-year. This pace is…
Read MoreNew report finds job openings in construction increased
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), in April, openings for positions in construction increased for the second consecutive month. This aligns with overall economic growth, which saw 7.62 million open positions. In the construction section, employment openings jumped from 234,000 in March to 259,000 in April. Other research from the Associated General Contractors of America reported that year-over-year employment increased in 32 states from April 2025 to April 2026. “The construction job openings rate increased to 3% in April, up from the…
Read MoreConstruction employment increases in 32 states
Construction employment rose in 32 states from April 2025 to April 2026, according to an analysis of new federal data released by the Associated General Contractors of America on May 22, 2026. Texas added the most construction jobs, adding approximately 18,700 jobs, followed by North Carolina, Ohio, Louisiana, Illinois and Missouri. Louisiana had the largest percentage gain in the span of 12 months. “It’s encouraging to see construction employment increasing in many parts of the country,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. In April 2026, Florida added the most…
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