The U.S. construction industry added approximately 28,000 net jobs in November, signaling renewed hiring momentum after a slow start to the year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of newly released Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
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Nearly all of the job growth came from nonresidential construction, with gains recorded across specialty trade contractors, nonresidential building construction, and heavy and civil engineering. The sector’s unemployment rate remained steady at 4.1%, lower than the 4.6% unemployment rate across all industries, highlighting construction’s relative strength compared with the broader labor market.
On a year-over-year basis, construction employment rose by 58,000 jobs, representing a 0.7% increase, ABC reported.
The November hiring gains suggest labor demand has begun to stabilize, particularly in nonresidential segments that have benefited from sustained investment in large-scale projects.
“Construction industry job growth has picked up over the past three months,” Anirban Basu, ABC chief economist, said in the release. “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.”
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Specialty trade contractors accounted for much of the recent employment growth, reflecting ongoing demand tied to major nonresidential developments. Basu noted that hiring among electricians has accelerated alongside continued expansion in data center construction, a sector that remains a bright spot within the industry.
“While overall industry employment growth may remain sluggish due to ongoing residential segment job losses, nonresidential contractors remain optimistic about their staffing levels,” said Basu in the release.
The construction industry’s performance stands in contrast to the broader U.S. labor market. Nationwide, employers shed 105,000 jobs in October before adding 64,000 jobs in November, while the national unemployment rate climbed to 4.6%, its highest level since September 2021, according to NBC News.
Construction employment has also expanded geographically in recent months, though workforce challenges persist. A separate analysis from the Associated General Contractors of America found that many contractors continue to struggle to find qualified workers, even as demand for skilled labor remains elevated in key regions.
Overall, November’s job gains suggest that nonresidential construction is helping stabilize industry employment amid broader economic uncertainty, even as residential construction continues to weigh on overall hiring growth.
Originally reported by Sebastian Obando in Construction Dive.
