Construction Workers Needed: Addressing the Skilled Labor Shortage
Current U.S. Construction Workforce Overview
As of April 2026, there are about 8.32 million U.S. construction workers across all sectors, including residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure projects www.amtec.us.com. This figure reflects the total employment in the construction industry, encompassing supervisors, craft workers, mechanics, apprentices, helpers, and laborers engaged in new work, alterations, demolition, repair, and maintenance.
Labor Market Conditions
- High demand and shortages: The industry faces a structural labor shortage, with 82% of firms reporting difficulty filling hourly craft positions and 80% struggling with salaried roles www.amtec.us.com. In 2025, there were about 306,000 unfilled jobs, and the industry needs roughly 349,000 net new workers in 2026 (rising to 456,000 in 2027) fixer.com.
- Key shortage trades: Skilled positions in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and concrete work are especially hard to fill fixer.com.
- Drivers of shortages: Aging workforce, underinvestment in vocational training, immigration policy constraints, and stigma around construction trades fixer.com.
Wages and Compensation
- Median annual wage for construction and extraction occupations was $58,360 in May 2024, above the national median U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Average hourly earnings in April 2026 were $40.97, up 4.2% year-over-year www.amtec.us.com.
- Wages vary by state; for example, Hawaii pays about 82% more than Alabama for similar roles fixer.com.
Employment Trends
- Employment has been relatively stable at ~8.32 million, but firms cannot convert demand into hires due to supply constraints www.amtec.us.com.
- Nonresidential construction (e.g., data centers, industrial facilities) has outperformed residential in recent months www.amtec.us.com.
- Input costs remain elevated, with diesel prices near record highs, adding pressure on margins www.amtec.us.com.
Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average growth in construction and extraction occupations from 2024 to 2034, with about 649,300 openings annually due to both growth and replacement needs U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the current shortage means wages and competition for skilled positions are likely to remain high.