Construction Industry Snapshot

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:

The construction sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Establishments primarily engaged in the preparation of sites for new construction and establishments primarily engaged in subdividing land for sale as building sites also are included in this sector. Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations or maintenance and repairs. Activities of these establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites.

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data show the following:

Construction employment is 28 percent of total employment in the goods-producing sectors (which also include manufacturing, natural resources and mining), while construction accounts for 61 percent of goods-producing establishments.

In the economy as a whole (goods-producing and service-providing sectors), construction employs about 5.2 percent of all workers and accounts for about 9.8 percent of all establishments.

Current Employment Statistics estimates show total annual average employment in construction rising from 5,095,000 in 1994 to a high of 6,826,000 in 2001. During 2003, total construction employment averaged 6,722,000.

Employment of production workers in construction has also increased strongly over the past 10 years, beginning at 3,973,000 in 1994 and peaking at 5,332,000 in 2001. In 2003, employment of production workers in construction averaged 5,112,000.

Average weekly hours of production workers in construction were 38.4, well above the 2003 private industry average of 33.7 for production and non-supervisory workers.

The average hourly earnings of production workers in construction were $18.95 in 2003, compared to an average of $15.35 for production and non-supervisory workers in all private industry.

In 2003, the unemployment rate of persons most recently employed in construction was 9.3 percent, according to the Current Population Survey. The overall unemployment rate was 6.0 percent that year.

Employment Projections data indicate that construction employment will increase 15.1 percent over the 2002-12 period. Construction is the only goods-producing sector in which employment is projected to grow. Total employment for all industry sectors is projected to grow 14.8 percent.