General concerns about the direction of the economy since the turn of the year, including the effect of tariffs, has affected construction employment at the state level, according to an analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). 

According to AGC, between April 2024 and April 2025, 32 states and the District of Columbia saw increased construction employment. At 32,000 new jobs, Texas added the largest total number of construction employees, a 3.8% increase. New Mexico had the largest percentage increase over that yearlong period at 14.6%, or 7,700 jobs.

At 15,000 jobs, the state of Washington lost the most construction employment in that period, or a 6.6% decrease. California lost 13,300 construction jobs (–1.5%), while New York saw 7,700 jobs go away (–2%).

More concerning may be data from the one-month period from March to April 2025. Construction employment increased in 24 states, but decreased in the same amount of states along with Washington, D.C. Two states, New York and Indiana, remained unchanged.

At 6,300 construction jobs, California added the most in the March-April 2025 period (0.7% increase), followed by Texas at 4,900 jobs (0.6%). But the state of Washington lost 3,300 jobs (–1.5%), and Pennsylvania declined by 1,800 (–0.7%). 

AGC also reported that 184 out of 360 metro areas increased construction employment year-over-year from April 2024 to April 2025. At 7,700, Arlington-Alexandria-Reston, Va.-W.Va. added the most positions in that period, or a 9% increase. Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas added 5,300 jobs, enjoying that same 9% jump.

However, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif., lost 6,000 jobs, a 5% drop, while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif., lost almost as many, at 5,900 jobs, or a 4% drop. The largest percentage decrease was in Monroe, Mich., dropping a full 20%, or 500 jobs.

While the data did not break down to specific trades within the construction area, the long-term job outlook for electricians from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is sunny, projected to grow 11% from 2023-2033. The Bureau noted that “about 80,200 openings for electricians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.”

Electrician employment in 2023 was approximately 779,800, with a projected headcount of 864,100 by 2033.