Construction Adds 26,000 Jobs in March, But Pay Pressure Climbs

The Associated General Contractors of America released its analysis of March Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing construction employment grew by 26,000 jobs, with gains spread across both residential and nonresidential segments. The report covers overall hiring trends and flags that firms are raising pay to attract and retain workers. The AGC noted the gains as positive news while pointing to ongoing workforce constraints at AGC workforce development resources.

The headline number is encouraging. The detail that should stop you is the wage pressure underneath it. Firms adding headcount are paying more per hour to do it, and that cost is already baked into every sub bid hitting your desk this spring. If your labor allowances were built on Q4 2025 rates, they’re light. The subs who held price through February are now repricing for April starts, and the gap between your budget and their number is going to be explained in a phone call you don’t want to have at 70% complete.

Read the full story at AGC News.