Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Construction Coverage.
The U.S. construction industry experienced a surge in demand in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. The intense real estate market during the pandemic highlighted the shortage of housing stock across the United States.
Between 2020 and 2022, private construction spending rose rapidly, fueled by a wave of new housing starts. In April 2022, housing starts reached their highest level in more than 15 years before declining to pre-pandemic levels as mortgage rates climbed.
And just as private construction activity began to plateau, funding for public projects became available—most notably through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — driving growth in public-sector construction spending.
Today, however, the outlook for the construction industry is less certain amid economic headwinds, including a softening labor market, foreign import tariffs, and persistently high interest rates. Despite these challenges, construction firms continue to face severe labor shortages.
The Associated Builders and Contractors, a leading industry trade group, estimated a shortfall of 439,000 workers. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 306,000 openings for construction jobs as of July 2025.
In response to the labor shortage, the industry is increasingly drawing on a historically underrepresented segment of the population: women.
Analyzing the newest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, researchers at Construction Coverage identified the best-paying states for women in the construction industry.
15. North Dakota
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $60,599
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $53,674
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $51,382
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 9.5%
14. Oregon
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $60,825
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $63,697
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $56,093
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 11.6%
13. Kansas
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $61,068
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $54,940
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $48,420
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 8.6%
12. New Jersey
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $61,368
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $66,819
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $66,775
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 9.7%
11. New Hampshire
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $61,712
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $65,011
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $59,338
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 7.9%
10. Illinois
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $62,053
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $61,342
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $56,633
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 9.6%
9. Connecticut
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $62,354
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $64,654
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $66,314
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 8.4%
8. Maine
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $62,637
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $60,819
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $51,601
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 8.9%
7. Hawaii
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $62,818
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $68,226
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $55,431
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 13.2%
6. Vermont
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $63,413
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $61,279
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $56,412
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 8.0%
5. Minnesota
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $63,584
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $62,577
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $59,418
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 10.6%
4. Colorado
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $63,715
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $64,596
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $59,901
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 11.8%
3. Washington
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $64,158
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $69,651
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $63,730
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 11.5%
2. Massachusetts
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $66,957
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $72,473
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $71,388
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 9.4%
1. Alaska
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (adjusted): $74,251
- Median annual wage for women in the construction industry (actual): $75,524
- Median annual wage for women in all occupations (actual): $60,531
- Share of the construction industry that are women: 14.7%
Methodology
To determine the best-paying states for women in the construction industry, researchers at Construction Coverage analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey and cost-of-living data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis’s 2023 Regional Price Parities dataset.
States were ranked according to the median annual wage for full-time women working in the construction industry, adjusted for cost of living differences. Researchers also calculated the median annual wage for full-time working women across all occupations and the female share of total construction industry full-time employment.
To improve the reliability of the results, five-year estimates were used to calculate state-level statistics, while one-year estimates were used to calculate national-level statistics.
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