Associated Builders and Contractors

ABC: Construction Job Openings Rebound in December, Up 87,000 Year Over Year

The construction industry had 292,000 job openings on the last day of December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings increased by 8,000 in December and are up by 87,000 from the same time last year. “This release paints a slightly more upbeat pi

19 hours ago1 min read

ABC: Construction Industry Must Attract 349,000 Workers in 2026 Despite Macroeconomic Headwinds

The construction industry needs to attract an estimated 349,000 net new workers in 2026 to meet demand for construction services, according to a proprietary model developed and released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. In 2027, the industry will need to bring in 456,000 new workers to meet demand as construction spending growth is poised to resume for the first time in years. ABC’s proprietary model uses the historical relationship between inflation-adjusted co

Feb 43 min read

ABC: Nonresidential Construction Spending Remains Stagnant in October

National nonresidential construction spending remained virtually unchanged on a monthly basis in October and was down 0.9% year over year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.25 trillion. Spending rose month over month in 9 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending was down 0.2%, while public no

Jan 281 min read

Tariffs Push Construction Materials Prices Higher in November

Construction input prices increased 0.6% in November compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 0.6% for the month. Overall construction input prices are 3.4% higher than one year ago, while nonresidential construction input prices are 3.8% higher. Prices increased in 2 of 3 energy categories la

Jan 201 min read

ABC: Construction Lost 11,000 Jobs in December, Added Just 14,000 Jobs in 2025

The construction industry lost 11,000 jobs on net in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment grew by 14,000 jobs, an increase of 0.2%. Nonresidential construction employment decreased by 7,800 positions on net, with losses in 2 of the 3 subcategories. Heavy and civil engineering added 2,300 jobs, while nonresidential specialty trade and

Jan 142 min read

ABC: Construction Job Openings Rebound by 90,000 in November 2025

The construction industry had 292,000 job openings on the last day of November, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings increased by 90,000 during the month and are up by 15,000 from the same time last year. “Construction job openings rose meaningf

Jan 131 min read

Construction jobs with the fastest wage growth in Arizona

Despite cooling demand in U.S. construction—with spending down in interest-rate-sensitive sectors like housing and commercial development, and nearly 80% of contractors reporting hiring challenges—the industry’s labor gap remains significant: the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) estimates a shortfall of 439,000 workers in 2025. Amid these labor market pressures, construction wages are rising, but not as much as one might expect—and gains vary by state and occupation.

Nov 20, 20251 min read

ABC: Construction Job Opening Rate Falls to Lowest Level in Nearly a Decade

The construction industry had 188,000 job openings on the last day of August, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings decreased by 115,000 last month and are down by 116,000 from the same time last year. “Construction job openings plunged in Augu

Nov 19, 20251 min read

ABC: Construction Backlog Stable; Contractors Remain Optimistic, Fueled by Data Center Growth

Associated Builders and Contractors reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator remained unchanged at 8.5 months in September, according to an ABC member survey conducted Sept. 22 to Oct. 6. The reading is down 0.1 months since September 2024. View ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index tables for September. View the full Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index data series . Over the past year, backlog has dec

Nov 10, 20251 min read