About the Construction sector : USA

About the Construction sector

The construction sector is part of the goods-producing industries supersector group.

The construction sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Establishments primarily engaged in the preparation of sites for new construction and establishments primarily engaged in subdividing land for sale as building sites also are included in this sector.

Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. Activities of these establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites. Production responsibilities for establishments in this sector are usually specified in (1) contracts with the owners of construction projects (prime contracts) or (2) contracts with other construction establishments (subcontracts).

North American Industry Classification System

The construction sector consists of these subsectors:

• Construction of Buildings: NAICS 236
• Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction: NAICS 237
• Specialty Trade Contractors: NAICS 238

Workforce Statistics

This section provides information relating to employment and unemployment in construction. While most data are obtained from employer or establishment surveys, information on industry unemployment comes from a national survey of households. The following tables present an overview of the industry including the number of jobs, the unemployment rate of those previously employed in the industry, job openings and labor turnover, union membership and representation, gross job gains and losses, data for occupations common to the industry, and projections of occupational employment change.

Employment, Unemployment, and Openings, Hires, and Separations

Data series	Back data	Dec. 2013	Jan. 2014	Feb. 2014	Mar. 2014
Employment (in thousands)
Employment, all employees (seasonally adjusted)		5,876	5,927	(P) 5,945	(P) 5,964
Employment, production and nonsupervisory employees (seasonally adjusted)		4,444	4,486	(P) 4,499	(P) 4,516
Unemployment
Unemployment rate		11.4%	12.3%	12.8%	11.3%
Job openings, hires, and separations (in thousands)
Job openings		82	(P) 162
Hires		149	(P) 247
Separations		311	(P) 282
Footnotes (P) Preliminary

(Source: Current Employment Statistics, Current Population Survey, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey)

Union Membership and Representation

Data series	Back data	2010	2011	2012	2013
Union membership and representation
Members of unions (percent of wage and salary workers)		13.1%	14.0%	13.2%	14.1%
Represented by unions (percent of wage and salary workers)		13.7%	14.9%	13.7%	14.9%

(Source: Current Population Survey)

Dynamic Changes in Employment

Data series	Back data	3rd quarter 2012	4th quarter 2012	1st quarter 2013	2nd quarter 2013
Dynamic changes in employment (in thousands)
Gross job gains		648	667	674	661
Gross job losses		614	604	600	616

(Source: Business Employment Dynamics)

Employment by Occupation

Data series	Employment,  2013
Carpenters	484,280
Construction laborers	667,680
Construction managers	169,660
Electricians	403,210
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	208,870

(Source: Occupational Employment Statistics)

Projections

For projected (future) employment estimates, see the National Employment Matrix, which includes employment estimates by industry and occupation for construction.

(Source: Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections)

Earnings and Hours

This section presents data on employee earnings and weekly hours. The latest industry averages of hourly earnings and weekly hours, as well as weekly earnings by union membership status, are shown. In addition, recent hourly and annual earnings are shown for occupations commonly found in construction. This section also contains information on the average cost of benefits paid by employers, as well as recent rates of change in wages and total compensation.

Earnings and Hours of All Employees

Data series	Back data	Dec. 2013	Jan. 2014	Feb. 2014	Mar. 2014
Average hourly earnings		$26.35	$26.40	(P) $26.57	(P) $26.53
Average weekly hours		38.7	38.6	(P) 38.1	(P) 39.1
Footnotes (P) Preliminary

(Source: Current Employment Statistics)

Earnings and Hours of Production and Nonsupervisory Employees

Data series	Back data	Dec. 2013	Jan. 2014	Feb. 2014	Mar. 2014
Average hourly earnings		$24.35	$24.41	(P) $24.56	(P) $24.55
Average weekly hours		39.0	38.9	(P) 38.4	(P) 39.5
Footnotes (P) Preliminary

(Source: Current Employment Statistics)

Union Membership and Representation

Data series	Back data	Median weekly earnings
		2010	2011	2012	2013
Union membership and representation
Full-time workers		$735	$746	$768	$762
Members of unions		$1,051	$1,059	$1,086	$1,096
Represented by unions		$1,046	$1,037	$1,069	$1,081
Nonunion		$692	$698	$722	$713

(Source: Current Population Survey)

Earnings by Occupation

Data series	Wages, 2013
	Hourly		Annual
	Median	Mean	Median	Mean
Carpenters	$19.50	$21.69	$40,550	$45,120
Construction laborers	$14.77	$17.02	$30,720	$35,390
Construction managers	$39.89	$44.05	$82,960	$91,620
Electricians	$23.45	$25.46	$48,780	$52,950
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators	$21.17	$23.69	$44,020	$49,270

(Source: Occupational Employment Statistics)

Employer Compensation Costs

Data series	Back data	1st quarter 2013	2nd quarter 2013	3rd quarter 2013	4th quarter 2013
12-month percent change
Total compensation		2.1%	2.1%	2.1%	2.0%
Wages and salaries		1.7%	1.7%	1.8%	1.6%

(Source: Compensation Cost Trends)

Data series	Back data	4th quarter 2013
		Compensation component ($ per hour worked)	Percent of total compensation
Compensation costs
Total compensation		34.82	100.0
Wages and salaries		24.03	69.0
Total benefits		10.79	31.0
Insurance		2.70	7.7
Retirement		1.95	5.6

(Source: Compensation Cost Trends)

Work-related Fatalities, Injuries, and Illnesses

This section presents data for the industry on the number of workplace fatalities and the rates of workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in construction. An injury or illness is considered to be work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing condition.

Data series	2009	2010	2011	2012
Fatalities
Number of fatalities	879	802	781	(P) 817
Rate of injury and illness cases per 100 full-time workers
Total recordable cases	4.3	4.0	3.9	3.7
Cases involving days away from work, job restriction, or transfer	2.3	2.1	2.1	2.0
Cases involving days away from work	1.6	1.5	1.5	1.4
Cases involving days of job transfer or restriction	0.7	0.6	0.7	0.6
Footnotes (P) Preliminary
Blank cells indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

(Source: Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities)

Workplace Trends

This section presents data on the number of establishments and the number of establishments experiencing job gains or job losses in construction.

Establishments

Data series	Back data	4th quarter 2012	1st quarter 2013	2nd quarter 2013	3rd quarter 2013
Number of establishments
Private industry		747,746	(P) 740,667	(P) 744,792	(P) 750,341
Local government		4,574	(P) 4,596	(P) 4,596	(P) 4,601
State government		1,677	(P) 1,677	(P) 1,677	(P) 1,675
Federal government		2	(P) 2	(P) 2	(P) 2
Establishments with changes in employment (in thousands)
With job gains (seasonally adjusted)		187	182	182
With job losses (seasonally adjusted)		172	176	172
Footnotes (P) Preliminary

(Source: Business Employment Dynamics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S)