What happened: Highway and bridge contractors continue to hire more workers as construction activity ramped up in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024. The number of new employees on the jobsite increased 11 percent between January and March compared to the same time period in 2023.
Total employment for highway and bridge contractors was up seven percent in the quarter, compared to three percent for construction overall.
Dig Deeper: While the national average hourly wage for the industry was up 3.3 percent in Q1 2024, other data points to wider variation based on state and location. An ARTBA analysis of highway and bridge contractor wage data available in 700 counties shows that nearly half – 48 percent – reported higher wages in the summer 2023 construction season compared to 2022. Some of the largest wage increases were in parts of Texas (Smith, Angelina, and Midland Counties), California (Sonoma County), North Carolina, (Almance, Davidson, Gaston, and Rutherford Counties) and Oklahoma (Logan County).
The data was provided May 14 as part of an update for ARTBA Board Members at its Federal Issues Program in the Nation’s Capital.
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