The construction industry lost 11,000 jobs on net in February, according to a recent Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 42,000 jobs, an increase of 0.5%.
Nonresidential construction employment decreased by 3,800 positions, with losses in two of the three subcategories. Heavy and civil engineering lost 6,500 jobs and nonresidential specialty trade lost 1,400 positions, while nonresidential building added 4,100 jobs in February.
The construction unemployment rate was 6.9% in February. Unemployment across all industries rose to 4.4% and is 0.2 percentage points higher than one year ago.
“Construction employment shrank again in February and has now declined in eight of the past 11 months,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Both the residential and nonresidential segments lost jobs for the month, adding to a recent string of downbeat industry data releases—construction spending has been in decline for several quarters, and ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator fell to a four-year low in January.
“With the conflict in Iran adding to trade policy-related uncertainty and crude oil prices well above $80 per barrel, the industry’s outlook remains downbeat through the first few months of 2026.”
Visit abc.org/economics for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index, plus analysis of spending, employment, job openings and the Producer Price Index.
About Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 with 67 chapters and more than 23,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC helps members offer a robust employee value proposition, develop people, win work, and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work.
