The United States has a booming construction industry worth more than $1.3 trillion that employs over seven million workers. Not all states contribute equally to these figures, though. Keep reading to learn more about the best states for construction jobs based on a variety of data points.
Table of Contents
Best states for construction jobs by pay
First, here’s a breakdown of the best states for construction, based on average wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for construction workers.
| State | Average annual salary for construction laborers | Average annual salary for workers in all industries |
| Hawaii | $72,960 | $58,190 |
| Illinois | $70,430 | $58,070 |
| New Jersey | $65,540 | $63,690 |
| Massachusetts | $67,920 | $70,010 |
| New York | $67,580 | $67,850 |
As you can see, the average construction worker in each of these states earns an annual salary comparable to those offered in other occupations. In Hawaii, Illinois, and New Jersey, the average construction worker actually earns more than the average worker in all occupations state-wide.
Best states for construction jobs by number of employees
Of course, pay data alone won’t provide a complete picture regarding what the best places for construction jobs are. It also helps to look at employment numbers, which the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also provides for construction laborers.
| State | Employment | Employment in all jobs |
| Texas | 608,110 | 12,102,370 |
| California | 672,280 | 16,430,660 |
| Florida | 413,800 | 8,441,750 |
| New York | 311,430 | 8,691,440 |
| Pennsylvania | 213,630 | 5,512,120 |
The key takeaway based on this data is arguably that construction workers comprise a significant percentage of the workforce in each of these states. This should provide some perspective regarding the industry’s significance in these regions whether you’re an individual worker wondering where to relocate or a business looking to expand.
Best states for construction jobs based on industry GDP growth
According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the following states have seen the most significant real construction GDP growth:
- Arizona
- Oregon
- Utah
- California
- Idaho
- Nevada
- West Virginia
- New Mexico
- Washington
- Florida
Best cities for construction jobs
Looking for some more granular data? Here are the best U.S. cities for construction jobs.
First, here’s the ranking of cities by employment based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| City | Employment |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 59,570 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 30,000 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 29,380 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 25,000 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 23,860 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 17,850 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 16,790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 16,240 |
As you can see, the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metropolitan area is home to more construction jobs than any other metropolitan area in the United States (and by quite a wide margin).
Here’s the breakdown by employment growth, according to the AGC:
- Dallas-Plano-Irving
- Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale
- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
- Nassau and Suffolk Counties (New York)
- Omaha (Nebraska)-Council Bluffs (Iowa)
- St. Louis
- San Diego-Carlsbad
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
As you can see, these metropolitan areas are spread fairly evenly throughout the United States.
Key takeaways when analyzing the best places for construction jobs
Here are some key takeaways from the data we’ve analyzed in this article.
Construction is big business right across America
From New York to California and everywhere in between, construction is a major driver of economic activity across the United States. Indeed, there are no regions within the country that aren’t on the list, whether it be for sheer employment numbers or competitive wages for construction workers.
Construction workers can earn competitive wages throughout America
In each of the regions we’ve highlighted throughout this article, the average construction worker’s salary typically matches or exceeds that of the average worker across all occupations. In other words, construction work pays well no matter where you live in America – and you don’t need to be a higher-up in the industry to earn a livable wage.
Regions with the best pay aren’t always the fastest growing
You’ve likely noticed that the list of best places for construction jobs changes depending on what metric you measure with.
If you’re an established construction worker looking for high pay, for instance, states known for compensating construction workers highly may be of interest to you. If you’re looking for the best state in which to enter the industry, meanwhile, you may care more about the number of positions. Regions don’t always overlap based on the two criteria, which makes this an important distinction.
Pay and availability differ substantially based on the role
The figures we’ve quoted throughout this article are averages across all types of construction jobs (unless noted otherwise). As you might expect, however, pay and job availability differ substantially based on the role. Keep this in mind when looking for the best place for construction jobs; if you have a specific role in mind, conduct research based on it.
Check out this article for a list of the highest-paid construction jobs.
Cost of living should play a role in your decision-making as well
Just because the average construction worker earns more in a particular state doesn’t mean they bring more home than workers elsewhere. Higher salaries are often accompanied by higher living costs. So if you’re using this data to make a personal decision, be sure to compare the average pay for construction workers in a particular state with the average cost of housing and other essentials.
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- schedule labor
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Learn more about Bridgit Bench. You can also read what our customers throughout North America have to say about Bridgit Bench. If you’re ready to schedule a demo of Bridgit Bench, visit this page.
Brandon-Richard Austin
Brandon-Richard Austin is a writer and content strategist focused on the construction sector. He’s passionate about educating readers on construction management techniques and best practices.
