Contractor association analysis finds 1,000 more construction jobs in October

There were 1,000 more construction jobs in October than there were in September, according to a national contractor association’s analysis of a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

The total number of construction workers was 7,721,000 last month, which is a 266,000 or 3.6 percent year-over-year increase, an analysis from the Associated General Contractors of America said. There were 3,200 new workers in nonresidential building companies this month, and 3,200 new workers in residential building firms.

Stephen Sandherr, AGC’s chief executive officer, said there was room for more workers, but the increase showed demand for projects remained strong.

“The construction sector would likely have added more jobs in October if only firms could find people to bring on board,” Sandherr said in a statement. “Labor market conditions are so tight, however, that the sector barely increased in size even as demand remains strong for many types of construction projects.”

In Wisconsin, the construction unemployment rate remained roughly the same for the month, while the U.S. average dropped 1.1%, federal data showed. The only other states to have the same rates were Iowa and South Carolina.

Despite the small increase in labor, wages for those working were up year-over-year in October, the AGC analysis said. The average hourly earnings in construction jumped from $33.41 in October 2021 to $35.27 a week ago, the association added.

A previous BLS report showed the construction sector adding 19,000 jobs in September. A different AGC analysis saw a 3.9 percent increase compared to 2021 and the biggest year-over-year increase in wages in 40 years.