The construction industry has experienced several strong years, with job growth driven by shifting demand across different sectors. From 2020 to mid-2022, a booming housing market fueled by low interest rates and pandemic-driven migration trends led to a surge in residential construction. As demand for housing cooled in response to rising interest rates in late 2022, nonresidential construction took the lead. Large-scale investments in infrastructure and manufacturing have since fueled steady job growth, even amid broader economic uncertainties. The sector has particularly benefited from federal legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which have helped accelerate projects in renewable energy, transportation, and industrial development.
However, despite this momentum, the industry faces significant challenges in the coming years. Persistent inflation, high interest rates, and the potential for new tariffs on imports could raise costs for builders. Additionally, changes in federal funding priorities—such as the potential rollback or freezing of IRA and IIJA allocations—could slow investment in clean energy and infrastructure projects. Stricter immigration policies may also impact labor availability, further complicating the industry’s outlook. According to the American Institute of Architects, approximately one out of every eight construction workers nationally is undocumented.
Despite these headwinds, recent projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggest that construction employment will continue to grow at a rate exceeding the national average over the next decade. This growth is expected to be concentrated in occupations related to energy, electrification, and manufacturing.
Changes in Construction Employment Over Time
The construction industry recovered faster from the COVID-19 recession than other sectors
Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage
Heightened demand and investment in the construction industry has translated to strong employment numbers over the past few years. While the sector experienced job losses at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was not as severely impacted as other parts of the economy. In April 2020, construction employment fell to approximately 86% of its February 2020 level, compared to 84% for all private-sector employment. However, the industry’s recovery was swift. By June 2020, construction employment had rebounded to 94% of pre-pandemic levels, outpacing the broader private sector, which remained below 90% at that time.
By February 2022, construction employment surpassed its pre-pandemic level, two months before overall private-sector employment reached the same milestone. Since then, the industry’s workforce has continued to grow faster than average. By the end of 2024, construction employment was 9% higher than pre-pandemic levels, while overall employment was up just 5%.
Employment Growth Projections by Industry
Overall employment in the construction industry is projected to grow faster than average over the next decade
Source: Construction Coverage analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data | Image Credit: Construction Coverage
The BLS projects that the construction industry will see above-average job growth over the next decade, reflecting ongoing demand for new infrastructure, energy projects, and manufacturing facilities. According to the latest projections, construction employment is anticipated to increase by 4.7% from 2023 to 2033, outpacing the 4.0% growth rate projected across all industries. This marks a notable improvement from last year’s 10-year forecast, which had predicted below-average growth in the construction sector due to automations and efficiency gains.
Although construction is not projected to grow as fast as sectors like healthcare and social assistance (+10.4%), professional and business services (+7.2%), or information (+7.1%), its growth is still significant given the industry’s size and current headwinds.
As the industry evolves, many of the fastest-growing occupations are not traditional construction jobs but roles linked to emerging technologies and energy infrastructure. For example, the top two fastest-growing construction-industry jobs are wind turbine service technicians (+56.3%) and solar photovoltaic installers (+26.4%), reflecting the growing emphasis on renewable energy. Demand is also high for logisticians (+17.4%), financial managers (+14.3%), and computer and information systems managers (+11.5%), highlighting the increasing need for efficient supply chains, financial oversight, and digital integration as large-scale nonresidential projects expand.
Below is a breakdown of the fastest-growing jobs in the construction industry, based on the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This analysis was conducted by researchers at Construction Coverage, a leading provider of software and insurance guides for construction professionals. For the full results, visit the original report on Construction Coverage: The Fastest-Growing Jobs in Construction.
Photo Credit: Elizaveta Galitckaia / Shutterstock
15. Floor layers, except carpet, wood, and hard tiles
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +10.1%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +2,000
- Total employment (current): 19,900
- Median annual wage (current): $49,390
Photo Credit: Fizkes / Shutterstock
14. Training and development specialists
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +10.8%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +400
- Total employment (current): 3,700
- Median annual wage (current): $74,880
Photo Credit: Martin Dworschak / Shutterstock
13. Tile and stone setters
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +11.0%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +3,800
- Total employment (current): 34,400
- Median annual wage (current): $49,610
Photo Credit: Sutipong / Shutterstock
12. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +11.1%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +33,600
- Total employment (current): 304,000
- Median annual wage (current): $54,620
Photo Credit: Mojo cp / Shutterstock
11. Computer and information systems managers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +11.5%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +300
- Total employment (current): 2,600
- Median annual wage (current): $142,330
Photo Credit: BigPixel Photo / Shutterstock
10. Mechanical engineers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +13.0%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +700
- Total employment (current): 5,400
- Median annual wage (current): $89,090
Photo Credit: Varavin88 / Shutterstock
9. Electricians
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +13.1%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +74,800
- Total employment (current): 570,300
- Median annual wage (current): $60,720
Photo Credit: Ndoeljindoe / Shutterstock
8. Industrial engineers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +14.3%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +200
- Total employment (current): 1,400
- Median annual wage (current): $84,530
Photo Credit: Wutzkohphoto / Shutterstock
7. Financial managers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +14.3%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +2,600
- Total employment (current): 18,200
- Median annual wage (current): $135,020
Photo Credit: Andrey Popov / Shutterstock
6. Mechanical door repairers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +14.4%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +2,800
- Total employment (current): 19,500
- Median annual wage (current): $48,950
Photo Credit: APChanel / Shutterstock
5. Occupational health and safety specialists
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +16.5%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +2,900
- Total employment (current): 17,600
- Median annual wage (current): $80,780
Photo Credit: Kzenon / Shutterstock
4. Logisticians
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +17.4%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +400
- Total employment (current): 2,300
- Median annual wage (current): $76,490
Photo Credit: Zakhar Mar / Shutterstock
3. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +18.2%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +400
- Total employment (current): 2,200
- Median annual wage (current): $55,970
Photo Credit: Anatoliy Gleb / Shutterstock
2. Solar photovoltaic installers
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +26.4%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +4,600
- Total employment (current): 17,400
- Median annual wage (current): $49,870
Photo Credit: Aunging / Shutterstock
1. Wind turbine service technicians
- 10-year projected employment growth (percent): +56.3%
- 10-year projected employment growth (total): +900
- Total employment (current): 1,600
- Median annual wage (current): $59,870
Methodology
Photo Credit: Zakhar Mar / Shutterstock
This analysis is based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections Survey. To determine the fastest-growing jobs in construction, researchers at Construction Coverage calculated the projected percentage change in employment from 2023 to 2033 for all detailed occupations with at least 1,000 employees in the industry as of 2023. All employment figures—including both current and projected totals—are specific to the construction sector. In cases where multiple occupations had the same projected growth rate, rankings were determined by total employment change, followed by total employment and median annual wage, with higher values ranked higher.
For complete results, see The Fastest-Growing Jobs in Construction on Construction Coverage.
