Construction labour demographics and statistics in the US
Construction labour demographics research summary. Zippia estimates construction labour demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our construction labour estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about construction labours after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 738,368 construction labours currently employed in the United States.
- 6.4% of all construction labours are women, while 93.6% are men.
- The average construction labour age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of construction labours is White (55.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (26.0%), Black or African American (10.4%) and Unknown (4.0%).
- In 2022, women earned 94% of what men earned.
- 2% of all construction labours are LGBT.
- Construction labours are 87% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Construction labour demographics by:
Construction labour gender statistics
6.4% of construction labours are women and 93.6% of construction labours are men.
- Male, 93.6%
- Female, 6.4%
Construction labour gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.6% |
| Female | 6.4% |
Construction labour gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$32,983
Female income
$31,139
Construction labour gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in construction labour positions over time. Currently, 6.4% of construction labours are female.
Construction labour gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.40% | 4.60% |
| 2011 | 95.36% | 4.64% |
| 2012 | 95.45% | 4.55% |
| 2013 | 95.42% | 4.58% |
| 2014 | 95.44% | 4.56% |
| 2015 | 95.30% | 4.70% |
| 2016 | 95.05% | 4.95% |
| 2017 | 94.77% | 5.23% |
| 2018 | 94.23% | 5.77% |
| 2019 | 93.77% | 6.23% |
| 2020 | 93.97% | 6.03% |
| 2021 | 93.59% | 6.41% |
Construction labour related jobs gender ratio
We compared construction labours with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, water softener installer and insulation worker have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Composition Floor Setter | 34% | 66% |
| Construction Labour | 94% | 6% |
| Gas Fitter | 97% | 3% |
| Insulation Worker | 97% | 2% |
| Water Softener Installer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Construction labour demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among construction labours is White, which makes up 55.3% of all construction labours. Comparatively, 26.0% of construction labours are Hispanic or Latino and 10.4% of construction labours are Black or African American.
- White, 55.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 26.0%
- Black or African American, 10.4%
- Unknown, 4.0%
- Asian, 2.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
Construction labour race
| Construction labour race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 26.0% |
| Black or African American | 10.4% |
| Unknown | 4.0% |
| Asian | 2.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.4% |
Construction labour race and ethnicity over time
See how construction labour racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Construction labour race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.47% | 10.95% | 2.35% | 18.45% |
| 2011 | 64.84% | 12.17% | 2.30% | 17.40% |
| 2012 | 64.67% | 11.61% | 2.43% | 17.48% |
| 2013 | 65.33% | 11.21% | 2.30% | 17.88% |
| 2014 | 64.44% | 11.02% | 2.53% | 18.72% |
| 2015 | 62.78% | 10.71% | 2.53% | 20.75% |
| 2016 | 62.42% | 10.48% | 2.69% | 21.08% |
| 2017 | 62.11% | 10.58% | 2.67% | 21.41% |
| 2018 | 62.89% | 10.00% | 2.75% | 20.83% |
| 2019 | 61.04% | 10.04% | 2.79% | 22.78% |
| 2020 | 58.63% | 11.23% | 2.80% | 22.11% |
| 2021 | 55.26% | 10.41% | 2.88% | 25.99% |
Construction labour wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown construction labours have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american construction labours have the lowest average salary at $31,655.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,759 |
| White | $33,757 |
| Black or African American | $31,655 |
| Asian | $33,228 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $32,567 |
Average construction labour age
See how the average age of construction labours varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Construction labour age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 41 | 46 |
| Unknown | 35 | 43.5 |
| Asian | 39 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 40 |
| White | 38 | 39 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42 |
Construction labour age breakdown
The average age of construction labours is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the construction labour population.
Construction labour age breakdown
| Construction Labour Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 26% |
| 20-30 years | 25% |
Construction labour educational attainment
The most common degree for construction labours is high school diploma, with 51% of construction labours earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 18% and bachelor's degree degree at 14%.
- High School Diploma, 51%
- Bachelor's, 18%
- Associate, 14%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Construction labours by degree level
| Construction labour degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 51% |
| Bachelor's | 18% |
| Associate | 14% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Construction labour jobs you might like
Construction labour wage gap by degree level
According to the data, construction labours with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $34,556 annually. With a Associate degree, construction labours earn a median annual income of $34,278 compared to $32,945 for construction labours with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,945 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,556 |
| No Education | $31,370 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $34,278 |
Construction labour employment statistics
Most construction labours work for a private in the construction industry.
Company size where construction labours work
Below, you can see the size of companies where construction labours work.
Construction labour jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 28% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Construction labour jobs by company type
Employees with the construction labour job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most construction labours prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Construction labour jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 87% |
| Government | 1% |
Construction labour jobs by industry
The most common industries for construction labours are construction, professional and technology.
Construction labour industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Construction | 48% |
| Professional | 19% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Construction labour turnover and employment statistics
Construction labour unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for construction labours between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Construction labour unemployment rate by year
| Year | Construction labour unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 23.53% |
| 2011 | 21.66% |
| 2012 | 18.27% |
| 2013 | 15.84% |
| 2014 | 13.34% |
| 2015 | 11.55% |
| 2016 | 10.81% |
| 2017 | 9.34% |
| 2018 | 8.78% |
| 2019 | 7.68% |
| 2020 | 11.20% |
| 2021 | 10.19% |
Average construction labour tenure
The average construction labour stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 35,000 construction labours resumes in Zippia's database.
Construction labour tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 36% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
Construction labour LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of construction labours that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Layer | 1.40% | 292 |
| Residential Roofer | 1.43% | 8,712 |
| Live Hanger | 1.75% | 844 |
| Construction Labour | 2.24% | - |
| Electrician Supervisor | 2.76% | 15,678 |
| Marble Installer | 3.39% | 15,066 |
| Tinker | 4.07% | 960 |
Similar construction labour jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Layer | 1.40% | 292 |
| Residential Roofer | 1.43% | 8,712 |
| Live Hanger | 1.75% | 844 |
| Electrician Supervisor | 2.76% | 15,678 |
| Marble Installer | 3.39% | 15,066 |
| Tinker | 4.07% | 960 |
Foreign languages spoken by construction labours
The most common foreign language among construction labours is Spanish at 79.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 4.4% and German is the third-most popular at 2.5%.
- Spanish, 79.5%
- French, 4.4%
- German, 2.5%
- Polish, 1.5%
- Russian, 1.5%
- Other, 10.6%
Construction labour languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 79.5% |
| French | 4.4% |
| German | 2.5% |
| Polish | 1.5% |
| Russian | 1.5% |
| Other | 10.6% |
