September’s total construction hiring added 25,000 jobs to the construction labor force from the month prior, as reported in our October Construction Economy Snapshot. The latest gains point to the continued strength of the construction sector, which has added, on average, over 20,000 jobs per month year to date.

The latest reading was the fourth highest in 2024, nearly double the year-ago reading of 13,000. Residential and nonresidential sub-trades accounted for 23,000 of the month’s total job gains. Residential building added 2,000 jobs, and Engineering and Civil gained 4,000 jobs, further boosting the total job count, while Nonresidential Building lost 3,000 workers.

Hourly wages and weekly hours worked continue to make construction an attractive industry for laborers. In September, hourly construction wages averaged $38.53, and the average number of hours worked per week was 39.2. In comparison, the average hourly wage of all nonfarm workers increased to $35.36. However, weekly hours continued to slide from prior months to end at 34.2.  

The combination of these trends amounted to a weekly average construction wage of $1,510, a $301 weekly premium compared to the average nonfarm laborer.

Read the Construction Economy Snapshot for more details on construction labor, trend graphs, and regional analysis.