KEY POINTS
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April’s construction employment totaled 8.3 million workers, a gain of 9,000 jobs from the prior month.
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The gains were led by nonresidential specialty trades, which added 13,000 positions during the month.
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Nonresidential building followed with a gain of 6,000 jobs, continuing a run of positive monthly results that has been one of the more consistent trends in the construction labor market.
April’s construction employment totaled 8.3 million workers, a gain of 9,000 jobs from the prior month. The gains were led by nonresidential specialty trades, which added 13,000 positions during the month.
Nonresidential building followed with a gain of 6,000 jobs, continuing a run of positive monthly results that has been one of the more consistent trends in the construction labor market. Civil construction contributed a modest 1,000 jobs.
These nonresidential gains were partially offset by losses in the residential segment, where specialty trades shed 9,000 positions and residential building contracted by 2,000 jobs — a pattern consistent with the ongoing contraction in new home construction activity.
The average construction wage in April rose to $40.97 per hour while total private sector wages also increased, ending the month at $37.41 per hour. The difference in average weekly hours worked remains historically elevated: construction workers averaged 39.3 hours per week, a premium of 5.0 hours above the total private sector average of 34.3 hours. Image: ConstructConnect
Together, the higher hourly rate and additional weekly hours bring total weekly construction compensation to $1,610, a premium of $327 — or approximately 26% — above the average total private sector worker’s weekly earnings of $1,283. This durable earnings advantage continues to make construction one of the most attractive employment options for hourly wage earners.
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