Forty-two states and Washington, D.C., added construction jobs from May 2017 to May 2018, and 28 states added construction jobs from April to May, according to www.agc.org.
"It is heartening to see such widespread construction job gains," says Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). "However, unexpected, steep cost increases for many materials may force some contractors to lay off workers, while passing on price hikes will likely cause public agencies and private owners to delay or cancel projects."
California added the most construction jobs—50,000—between May 2017 and May 2018. Florida and Texas also added a large number of construction jobs. Additionally, West Virginia added the highest percentage of new construction jobs during the past year, followed by Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Utah.
Twenty-eight states added construction jobs from April to May, with Ohio adding the most construction jobs—6,000—followed by Texas and New York. North Dakota added the highest percentage of construction jobs for the month, followed by South Dakota, Nebraska, Maine and Rhode Island.
Six states lost construction jobs between May 2017 and May 2018. New Jersey lost the highest number of construction jobs—4,600—followed by North Dakota, Missouri and South Carolina. Construction employment fell in 16 states from April to May, and California and New Jersey lost more than any other states—2,900.
AGC officials said rising costs for many construction materials are likely to undermine future employment growth in the sector. They noted contractors will have a hard time passing the additional costs along to their clients, leaving less money available to invest in new personnel or equipment. And they urged administration officials to reconsider imposing new tariffs likely to undermine economic growth.
"Construction employment in many parts of the country could be impacted as firms get caught in the crossfire of the looming trade war," said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC's CEO.
