Federal revisions erased 1.2 million jobs from U.S. totals, shifting construction’s outlook from modest growth to more concerning.
Construction employment is up just 6,000 year-to-date through August, with four months of losses and four of gains.
Average construction wages reached $39.98/hour, a 23% premium over the private-sector average.
Revised federal data show U.S. construction employment has nearly stalled in 2025, with the sector adding only 6,000 net jobs year-to-date through August.
Adjustments to the past 15 months of jobs figures reduced nationwide totals by about 1.2 million, reshaping what once looked like modest growth into a more concerning trend.
In the first eight months of 2025, the number of months reporting gains was equal to the number reporting losses, capped by a decline of 7,000 jobs in August, the sharpest setback of the year.
Among the industry’s five employment subsectors, residential specialty trades have absorbed the heaviest hit, losing 33,000 positions since January.
Gains of 27,000 jobs in nonresidential specialty trades and just over 7,000 in engineering and civil roles helped soften the blow but left overall growth stagnant.
The industry’s high exposure to foreign-born labor could exacerbate the difficult employment trends already weighing on growth.
In August, construction workers earned an average of $1,559 per week, a $300, or 23%, premium over the $1,249 earned by private-sector peers. Image: ConstructConnect Construction Economy Snapshot
Construction Wages Outpace Private Sector
Despite weak hiring, wages remain strong. The average construction wage climbed to $39.98 per hour in August, compared with $36.53 across the broader private sector. Weekly hours were unchanged at 39.0 for construction and 34.2 for all private workers, translating to weekly paychecks of $1,559 and $1,249, respectively.
That $300 gap represents a 23% weekly pay premium for those in construction.
Stay connected with ConstructConnect News, your source for construction economy insights, market trends, and project news.
At ConstructConnect, our software solutions provide the information that construction professionals need to start every project on a solid foundation. For more than 100 years, our keen insights and market intelligence have empowered commercial firms, building product manufacturers, trade contractors, and architects to make data-driven decisions, streamline preconstruction workflows, and maximize their productivity. Our newest offerings—including our comprehensive, AI-assisted software—help our clients find, bid on, and win more projects.
ConstructConnect operates as a business unit of Roper Technologies (Nasdaq: ROP), a constituent of the Nasdaq 100, S&P 500, and Fortune 1000.
For more information, visit constructconnect.com