Based on January 2026 data from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the US construction industry is projected to have a total workforce of approximately 9 million workers as of the beginning of 2026. US.COM +2
Here are the key details regarding the 2026 US construction workforce:
Total Employment: The industry has grown to roughly 9 million workers.
New Workers Needed: To meet demand in 2026, the industry must attract an estimated 349,000 net new workers.
Worker Demographics: Approximately 11.1% of these workers are union members, meaning nearly 9 out of 10 (88.9%) are non-union, or merit-shop, workers.
Shortage Factors: The demand for new workers is largely driven by an aging workforce and retirements, rather than just industry expansion.
Foreign-Born Labor: About a quarter of the total construction workforce is foreign-born, rising to a third for craft workers. Abc.org +6
The industry's workforce needs are expected to rise further to 456,000 new workers in 2027 as construction spending increases. Associated Builders and Contractors New Jersey Chapter
As of early 2026, there are approximately 6.23 million U.S. citizen construction workers out of a total industry workforce of roughly 8.31 million. US.COM
While specific "citizen-only" counts are not always reported in real-time, the following data points from the latest 2026 industry benchmarks define the workforce composition:
2026 Workforce Statistics
Total Workforce: Approximately 8.31 million workers are employed in the U.S. construction industry as of January 2026.
Immigrant Representation: About 25% of all construction employees (and roughly 33% of craft workers) are foreign-born. This leaves approximately 75% of the total workforce, or roughly 6.23 million, as U.S.-born or naturalized citizens.
Labor Shortage: The industry needs to attract an additional 349,000 net new workers in 2026 to meet current demand, particularly for AI data centers and infrastructure projects. Some estimates place this need as high as 499,000 for the full year.
Union Membership: Only about 11.1% of construction workers belong to a union as of early 2026, representing approximately 995,000 individuals. US.COM +6
Factors Influencing 2026 Numbers
Demographic Shifts: More than 20% of the workforce is over the age of 55, leading to high retirement rates that the current domestic pipeline (only 3-7% of young job seekers) is struggling to replace.
Immigration Enforcement: Recent enforcement actions in 2025 and 2026 have reportedly caused labor disruptions, as an estimated half of the industry's foreign-born workers are undocumented.
AI Impact: The surge in AI-driven data center construction (estimated at over $9 billion in recent years) is pulling the most skilled citizen and non-citizen tradespeople toward high-paying specialized roles. HUB International
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