The Daily Dig
The construction industry added 9,000 net jobs in April, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors, drawing on data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The headline number is modest, but the breakdown tells a more interesting story.
Non-residential construction added 19,000 positions on the month, with gains across all three subcategories. Non-residential specialty trades led the way with 12,600 new jobs. Non-residential building added 5,600, and heavy and civil engineering contributed 800. ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu noted that weakness on the residential side pulled the overall industry number down.
The construction unemployment rate came in at 3.8% in April. The broader all-industry rate held steady at 4.3%, sitting 0.1 percent higher than a year ago.
Year over year, total construction employment is up 50,000 jobs, a gain of 0.6%. Non-residential is up 2.0% over the same period, a stronger result than the overall figure reflects. Basu pointed to surging data center construction spending, up 34% over the past year, as a key driver of that non-residential strength. He also noted that ABC member expectations for hiring remain elevated per the organization's Construction Confidence Index, even as industrywide job growth stays relatively tempered.
Snapshot:
Report Source: Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Reporting Period: April 2026
Release Date: May 8, 2026
Total Construction Jobs Added (Month): 9,000 net
Non-residential Jobs Added (Month): 19,000
Non-residential Specialty Trades: +12,600
Non-residential Building: +5,600
Heavy and Civil Engineering: +800
Construction Unemployment Rate: 3.8%
All-Industry Unemployment Rate: 4.3%
YOY Total Job Growth: +50,000 (+0.6%)
Non-residential YOY Growth: +2.0%
Data Center Spending Growth (YOY): +34%
ABC Chief Economist: Anirban Basu
TheJobWalk Thoughts
A 34% year-over-year jump in data center construction spending is not background noise. It is one of the clearest demand signals in the market right now, and it is showing up directly in the specialty trades numbers. Electrical, mechanical, low-voltage, and civil contractors who are not actively pursuing this sector should be asking why.
The split between non-residential and overall job growth is worth understanding. Total construction added 9,000 net jobs in April while non-residential added 19,000 on its own. Residential weakness is absorbing what would otherwise be a strong industry-wide result. For GCs and subs focused on the non-residential side, the underlying market is performing better than the top-line number suggests.
Courtesy of ABC
Courtesy of ABC
