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ARLINGTON, VA. — Eighty per cent of U.S. states saw construction employment increase in September from a year earlier, according to analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.

But only 24 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between August and September. Association officials said even more states would have added workers year-over-year if contractors could find enough qualified applicants.

“It is great that four out of five states have added construction jobs over the past year,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, in a statement. “Even more states would be seeing gains if there were enough qualified workers available to fill job openings.”

Between September 2023 and September 2024, 40 states added construction jobs, while 10 states and D.C. shed jobs. Texas added the most construction employees (42,300 jobs or 5.1 per cent), followed by Florida (37,100 jobs, 5.9 per cent), Ohio (16,400 jobs, 6.9 per cent) and Michigan (12,600 jobs, 6.6 per cent).

Alaska had the largest percentage gain over 12 months (21.1 per cent, 3,700 jobs), followed by Hawaii (11.8 per cent, 4,500 jobs), Oklahoma (9.4 per cent, 7,800 jobs) and Nevada (8.8 per cent, 10,000 jobs).

New York lost the most construction jobs during the past 12 months (minus 6,900 jobs, 1.8 per cent). 

For the month, industry employment increased in 24 states and D.C., it declined in 23 states, and was unchanged in Minnesota, Rhode Island and Vermont. Texas added the most jobs (8,100 jobs or 0.9 per cent), followed by Ohio (6,700 jobs, 2.7 per cent), Florida (3,600 jobs, 0.5 per cent) and South Carolina (2,900 jobs, 2.4 per cent). Ohio had the largest percentage gain, followed by South Carolina, Nebraska (1.9 per cent, 1,200 jobs), and Alaska (1.9 per cent, 400 jobs).

In a statement, association officials urged Congress to increase funding for construction workforce training and education programs to help address workforce shortages that are likely holding back employment growth in the sector. They said the two best opportunities for Congress to boost funding are in the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that funds workforce training programs and the Carl. D. Perkins Technical Career and Technical Education Act that funds in-school career and technical education programs.

“Enabling more people to learn about construction as a career opportunity is essential for filling the openings created by the many infrastructure, power, and manufacturing projects under way,” said Jeffrey Shoaf, the association’s chief executive officer.