Amid a 439,000-worker shortfall and 306,000 open jobs, the construction industry is widening its talent pipeline to a historically underrepresented group: women. While the sector remains male-dominated, women’s presence—and pay—are rising. In the 2025 edition of their Best-Paying States for Women in Construction report, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the newest Census Bureau and BEA data to identify where women are earning the most in construction, adjusted for cost of living differences, and the states with the highest female employment shares.

Despite cooling demand in U.S. construction—with spending down in interest-rate-sensitive sectors like housing and commercial development, and nearly 80% of contractors reporting hiring challenges—the industry’s labor gap remains significant: the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) estimates a shortfall of 439,000 workers in 2025. Amid these labor market pressures, construction wages are rising, but not as much as one might expect—and gains vary by state and occupation. Researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify how wages are trending across the construction industry nationally, by state, and by specific occupation.

America’s factories are gearing up for a revival—but just how many jobs this new wave of investment will create remains uncertain, with employment forecasts ranging from as few as 110,000 to as many as 3.8 million over the next decade. With projects making national headlines—such as Samsung’s $17 billion semiconductor plant and Tesla’s expansion in Texas, major EV investments in Georgia, and Micron’s growth in Idaho—it’s clear manufacturing employment will rise, though these gains will vary widely from state to state. A new analysis from ETQ highlights the U.S. states projected to see the most growth in manufacturing jobs over the next decade, analyzing the latest workforce projections from 49 state labor departments.

A new analysis from Upgraded Points reveals which U.S. metros and states are the most and least affordable for recent college graduates, comparing median earnings with cost-of-living estimates to identify where new grads can get the strongest start—and where even solid salaries may fall short.

Amid rising college costs and growing concerns about white-collar job automation, more young Americans are turning to the skilled trades—drawn by strong wages, faster training paths, and better job security than most careers: employment in the sector is set to grow nearly 40% faster than the average for all jobs over the next decade. In the 2025 edition of their Best-Paying Construction Jobs report, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed the latest BLS data to reveal the construction occupations commanding the highest wages, the states with the best pay for workers, and the jobs projected to grow fastest in the coming years.

When Bailey Saddlemire, Class of ’22, was a student at Keene State College, she considered moving out west to California.