Construction Industry Outpaces Nation in Earnings Growth

Construction workers' average hourly earnings surpassed the national average for the private sector in September by about $3.00 more per hour, according to the latest federal data.

The wage growth is being attributed largely to the fact that the available labor pool is still tight. In Houston, where the labor shortage is especially severe, earnings are growing between three and four times more than the national average, per the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The Houston Chronicle reports that Texas' unemployment rate is down to 3.9 percent, similar to the national rate of 3.7 percent.

Average hourly earnings in the construction industry passed $30 an hour for the first time this September, according to the Labor Department. That compares to an average of $27.24 for all private sector wage earners. The construction industry across the country has struggled with labor shortages in recent years, but the shortage has seemed particularly acute in Houston, where rebuilding after Hurricane Harvey and the regions continuing population growth and demand for housing has further strained supply.

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