Construction industry loses 11,000 jobs in February

The construction industry lost 11,000 jobs on net in February according to an analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data conducted by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).  

Washington-based ABC says industry employment has grown by 42,000 jobs on a year-over-year basis, an increase of 0.5 percent. The construction unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in February, and unemployment across all industries rose to 4.4 percent, 0.2 percent higher than one year ago. 

Nonresidential construction employment decreased by 3,800 positions, with losses in two of the three subcategories. ABC says 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. 

“Construction employment shrank again in February and has now declined in eight of the past 11 months,” ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu says. “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.” 

Basu adds that 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.