Construction is a $2 trillion industry that runs on single digit margins. That is the whole story in one line. Spend dipped in 2025, margins held, cash still moves slowly and the labor gap has not closed.
Here are the current construction financial statistics, each linked to its source, followed by what they mean if you run a contracting business.
The short answer
US construction spending was $2.16 trillion in 2025, down 1.4% from 2024 (Census). The average contractor earned 6.7% net profit before tax, waited 55 days to collect receivables and carried 9.1 months of backlog (CFMA). Slow payments cost the industry an estimated $299 billion in 2025 (Rabbet).
- Public spending rose 3.6% while private fell 2.9% in 2025
- 92% of firms struggle to fill jobs; 45% report project delays
- The industry needs about 349,000 net new workers in 2026
Updated November 2026. New numbers up top. Older stats live in the historical section below, unchanged, so existing links and citations still work.
2026 construction financial statistics: the key numbers
Construction spending
- $2.16 trillion was spent on US construction in 2025, down 1.4% from $2.19 trillion in 2024. (US Census Bureau, Feb 2026)
- $1.65 trillion was private construction spending in 2025, down 2.9%. Public spending rose 3.6% to $516.8 billion. (US Census Bureau)
- $917.4 billion went to residential construction in 2025, down 2.5%. Nonresidential came in at $1.25 trillion, down 0.6%. (US Census Bureau)
- $2.19 trillion was the seasonally adjusted annual rate of construction spending in September 2026, down 2.7% from September 2025. (US Census Bureau, Nov 2026)
- 2.9% is how far year to date 2026 spending (through September) trails the same stretch of 2025. (US Census Bureau)
- 4.3% of US GDP came from construction value added in Q4 2025. (BEA via FRED)
Contractor profitability
From CFMA’s 2025 Financial Benchmarker, which covers fiscal 2024 results from 1,558 construction companies.
- 6.7% was the average net profit before tax across all companies. (CFMA Financial Benchmarker, 2025)
- 8.3% net profit before tax for heavy construction, the highest of any segment. (CFMA, 2025)
- 7.7% net profit before tax for specialty trade contractors, on a 22.4% gross profit. (CFMA, 2025)
- 4.4% net profit before tax for industrial and nonresidential builders, the thinnest segment. (CFMA, 2025)
- 1.7 was the average current ratio (current assets to current liabilities). (CFMA, 2025)
- 12.1% return on assets for residential contractors, with best in class firms at 20.9%. (CFMA, 2025)
Cash flow and payments
- 55.2 days is the average time contractors take to collect receivables. (CFMA, 2025)
- $299 billion was lost to slow and inconsistent payments in US construction in 2025, described as a hidden 14% tax. (Rabbet Construction Payments Report, 2025)
- 65 hours a month is what general contractors spend on payment administration. (Rabbet, 2025)
- 91% of GCs factor an owner’s payment reputation into their bids, and 88% declined to bid at least once in the past year because of slow pay. (Rabbet, 2025)
Backlog and outlook
- 9.1 months of backlog was the average in CFMA’s data (heavy construction 10.2 months, specialty trades 7). (CFMA, 2025)
- 9.1 months was ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator in May 2026, up 0.7 months from a year earlier. (ABC via BD+C, 2026)
Labor costs and the workforce gap
- 349,000 net new workers are needed in 2026 to meet demand, and about 456,000 in 2027. (Associated Builders and Contractors, Jan 2026)
- 92% of construction firms have trouble filling open positions. 88% have openings for key roles. (AGC and NCCER Workforce Survey, 2025)
- 45% of firms report project delays because of the worker shortage. (AGC and NCCER, 2025)
- 57% say job candidates lack the skills and qualifications needed. 48% say hires fail to show up or quit soon after starting. (AGC and NCCER, 2025)
- 42% of firms increased spending on training and professional development. (AGC and NCCER, 2025)
What these numbers mean for contractors
We work with roofers, remodelers, HVAC and specialty contractors every day. Here is how we read this:
- Margins are thin, so lead cost matters. At 6.7% pre-tax, a contractor doing $5 million keeps about $335,000. Wasting $50,000 on marketing that does not book jobs is 15% of your profit.
- Cash is the real constraint. 55 days to collect means you are financing your customers. Faster invoicing and deposits matter as much as more revenue.
- Private work slowed, public work grew. If you rely on residential, you are competing harder for fewer jobs. That favors the contractor who shows up first in search and answers the phone.
- Labor caps growth. 45% of firms are already delaying projects. Before you buy more leads, make sure you can staff the jobs. Recruiting marketing is now part of marketing.
Our rule of thumb for marketing spend is 5% to 7% of revenue for a contractor who wants to grow. With margins this tight, every dollar of that needs to be tracked back to booked jobs.
- Leads from Google, Maps and AI search
- Nobody else is buying the same lead
- You own your website and ad accounts
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Historical construction financial statistics (original edition)
The stats below are from the original version of this page and mostly reflect 2019 and 2020 data. We kept them as is because many sites cite them. For current numbers, use the 2026 section above.
US public sector construction spending totalled $329 billion U.S. in 2019. US commercial construction spending totalled $92 billion in 2019. US single-family residential construction spending totalled $276 billion in 2019. … In 2019, the construction industry accounted for 4.1% of the US GDP.
Consider these mind-blowing bits of Construction Spending Data from Levelset:
US construction spending totaled $1.3 trillion in 2019.
STATISTA
- FMI forecasts spending to reach $314 billion by 2024, an increase of 5%.
- US multifamily residential construction spending totalled $64 billion in 2019.
- FMI forecasted spending to reach $68 billion by 2020, an increase of 5%.
- Average US total construction spending totalled $1.04 trillion between 2009 and 2019.
- US private sector construction spending totalled $977 billion U.S. in 2019.
- US public sector construction spending totalled $329 billion U.S. in 2019.
- US commercial construction spending totalled $92 billion in 2019.
- US single-family residential construction spending totalled $276 billion in 2019.
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In 2019, the construction industry accounted for 4.1% of the US GDP.
STATISTA
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – 90% of US General Contractors are worried about a labor shortage!
- 1.2 million new housing units are planned every year in the US.
- 90% of US contractors are worried about a possible labor shortage.
- The construction industry in the US has an average annual expenditure of $1,231 billion.
- In 2019, the construction industry generated $2 trillion in revenue in the US.
- The commercial construction sector has recorded an 8% annual growth between 2014–2019.
In 2019, the construction industry generated $2 trillion in revenue in the US.
Ibis World
Report Linker + FinancesOnline Have these stats on the broader world construction market:
- Global construction market will grow to $8 trillion by 2030. (ICE)
- China, the US, and India drives global construction industry growth. (ICE)
- US construction market is set to grow faster than China’s over the next fifteen years. (ICE)
- Almost 200% more–the growth of the construction market in India against China to 2030. (ICE)
- Construction activity in Latin America will continue its recovery in 2019 with a growth of 1.2%. Also, experts predict this to have an average of 3% from 2020 to 2024. (ReportLinker, 2020)
- However, some Latin American countries like Argentina will experience a decline in construction output. Furthermore, the recovery of Mexico and Brazil will remain fragile. (ReportLinker, 2020)
- The Asia-Pacific region accounts for the largest share of the global construction industry. This is because the region includes the giant markets of India, Japan, and China. (ReportLinker, 2020)
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How to cite this page
Hook Agency, “Construction Financial Statistics (2026),” hookagency.com/blog/construction-financial-statistics/, updated November 2026. For any single number, please cite the original source linked next to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the US construction industry?
US construction spending was $2.16 trillion in 2025, according to the Census Bureau, down 1.4% from 2024. Construction value added is about 4.3% of GDP.
What is the average profit margin for a contractor?
CFMA’s 2025 Financial Benchmarker puts average net profit before tax at 6.7%. Heavy construction ran 8.3%, specialty trades 7.7%, and industrial and nonresidential builders 4.4%.
How long do contractors wait to get paid?
The average contractor takes about 55 days to collect receivables (CFMA, 2025). Slow payments cost the US industry an estimated $299 billion in 2025 (Rabbet).
How many construction workers are needed in 2026?
Associated Builders and Contractors estimates the industry needs about 349,000 net new workers in 2026 and 456,000 in 2027.
How much should a contractor spend on marketing?
We recommend 5% to 7% of revenue for contractors who want to grow, tracked to booked jobs, not just leads.
