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U.S. construction employment is projected to grow from about 8.27 million jobs in 2025 to 8.68 million in 2035, a net gain of 410,700, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections analyzed by the National Association of Home Builders. Specialty trade contractors are projected to account for 270,600 added jobs, while the forecast does not establish how many positions will be filled or how hiring will unfold.
U.S. construction employment is projected to increase by 410,700 jobs, or about 5%, from 2025 to 2035, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections analyzed by the National Association of Home Builders. The forecast would take industry employment from approximately 8.27 million to 8.68 million, a faster projected rate of growth than the 3.5% forecast for total U.S. employment.
The projected increase is concentrated in two parts of the industry. Specialty trade contractors are expected to add 270,600 jobs, while residential building construction is projected to add 34,200. Together, those categories would account for about 74% of construction’s net job gain over the decade, according to the figures reported by Hardware Retailing.
Specialty trades include work such as electrical installation, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, roofing and other specialized activities. Within that segment, electricians are projected to add 65,700 jobs between 2025 and 2035. Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers are forecast to gain 40,900 jobs; construction laborers, 34,800; and plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, 27,900.
In residential building construction, the largest projected occupational increase is for construction laborers, with 13,900 additional jobs. The projections also estimate gains of 8,100 carpenters, 5,100 construction managers and 2,800 first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers. Project management specialists are projected to add 1,700 jobs. Across specialty contractors, supervisors are forecast to gain 17,300 jobs and construction managers 11,200.
Specialty Trades Drive the Forecast
The forecast points to demand being concentrated in the skilled trades that perform and coordinate specific parts of construction projects. The projected gain of 270,600 specialty contractor jobs is substantially larger than the estimate for residential building construction, and electrician, HVAC and plumbing roles make up several of the largest occupation-level increases.
For workers, contractors and employers, these projections offer a view of where employment growth may be strongest over the coming decade. They do not, by themselves, show whether companies will be able to recruit enough qualified workers, whether wages will rise, or whether every projected opening will represent a new position rather than replacement hiring. The overall figure is a net employment projection, not a count of job vacancies available now.
The comparison with total U.S. employment also puts the forecast in perspective: construction’s projected 5% increase is higher than the 3.5% national projection for the same period. That difference suggests faster growth for the industry than for the labor market overall, but it does not mean construction will add more jobs in absolute terms than larger sectors.
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How the 2025–2035 Forecast Breaks Down
The estimates cover a ten-year period, from 2025 through 2035. Hardware Retailing reports that the figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and an analysis by NAHB. They describe projected employment levels and changes, rather than a tally of jobs already created.
The headline projection—about 8.27 million construction jobs in 2025 rising to 8.68 million in 2035—represents an increase of 410,700, or 5%, in the source report. NAHB’s analysis separates the forecast by construction industry segment and occupation, showing how much of the expected growth is attributed to specialty contractors and residential building.
Those categories and occupations describe related but distinct cuts of the projections. For example, the estimate for electricians is an occupational forecast within specialty trade contracting, while the segment-level figure counts projected employment growth across specialty contractors. The occupation figures should not be added to the segment totals as if they were separate industry gains.
Projections Are Not Hiring Guarantees
The figures are forecasts, not confirmed future job totals. The source material does not specify the assumptions behind the estimates or provide a year-by-year path showing when growth might occur. Actual employment could differ as economic conditions, construction activity, technology and workforce availability change.
The report also does not state how many workers the industry currently needs, how many projected jobs may be replacement openings, or whether employers will face a shortfall in particular trades. While the occupational estimates identify roles with projected gains, they do not measure wages, training capacity, regional demand or the time required to fill positions. The cited summary provides no direct comment from BLS or NAHB beyond the projection analysis.
Watch Employment Data Through 2035
The projection period runs through 2035, so subsequent employment data will show how actual industry trends compare with the forecast. Readers can also look for later BLS employment projections and NAHB analyses that update estimates by sector and occupation.
For now, the report’s central finding is a projected net increase of 410,700 construction jobs over the decade, with specialty trades accounting for the largest share. The timing, geographic distribution and ability of employers to fill those roles remain open questions.
Key Questions
How many construction jobs are projected to be added by 2035?
The projection estimates a net increase of 410,700 jobs from 2025 to 2035, taking U.S. construction employment from about 8.27 million to 8.68 million.
Which construction segment is projected to add the most jobs?
Specialty trade contractors are projected to add 270,600 jobs. Residential building construction is forecast to add 34,200.
Which occupation has the largest projected gain?
Among the occupations listed, electricians in specialty trade contracting have the largest projected increase, at 65,700 jobs between 2025 and 2035. Construction laborers in residential building construction are projected to gain 13,900.
Is the 410,700 figure a count of current job openings?
No. It is a projected net employment increase over the 2025–2035 period, not a measure of vacancies available now or a guarantee that every projected job will be filled.
Who produced the employment projection?
The figures are attributed to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and an analysis by the National Association of Home Builders, as reported by Hardware Retailing.
Source: hardwareretailing.com
