Construction Adds 28,000 Jobs in November as Nonresidential Work Leads Gains
Key Highlights
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Specialty trade contractors drove the majority of November’s construction job gains
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Nonresidential construction added jobs across every major segment
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Construction unemployment remains below the national average despite rising economywide unemployment
WASHINGTON, DC — The construction industry added 28,000 jobs in November, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of new data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On a year-over-year basis, total construction employment increased by 58,000 jobs, representing growth of 0.7% compared to November of last year.
Nonresidential Construction Accounts for All Net Job Gains
Nonresidential construction employment rose by 28,800 positions in November, with gains recorded across all major nonresidential segments.
Specialty trade contractors led the increase, adding 18,700 jobs during the month. Nonresidential building construction employment grew by 5,100 positions, while heavy and civil engineering construction added 5,000 jobs.
Unemployment Remains Lower Than the Broader Economy
The construction unemployment rate stood at 4.1% in November, remaining below the national unemployment rate across all industries.
Unemployment economywide rose to 4.6% in November and is now 0.4 percentage points higher than one year ago, underscoring construction’s continued relative strength in hiring compared to the broader labor market.
A Stark Reversal
“Construction industry job growth has picked up over the past three months,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The industry has added 52,000 jobs since August, a stark reversal from the 9,000 jobs lost during the first eight months of the year.
“This recent rebound has been led by rapid growth in nonresidential specialty trade contractor employment, a trend that is at least partially due to the surging need for electricians caused by the data center construction boom. While overall industry employment growth may remain sluggish due to ongoing residential segment job losses, nonresidential contractors remain optimistic about their staffing levels, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index.”
Visit abc.org/economics for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index, plus analysis of spending, employment, job openings and the Producer Price Index.