Beyond the Glass Ceiling? Women in Construction at All-time High with Further Growth Ahead

Anirban Basu, Chief Construction Economist, CBIZ

Joseph Natarelli, National Construction Leader, CBIZ

At the start of the pandemic, women accounted for about 13% of the construction workforce, or one in every 7.5 construction workers. While this represented the highest share in over a decade, approaching the previous peak of 13.5% seen in 2009, the timing of that record was telling. Women’s peak representation coincided with the industry’s struggles during the Great Recession, suggesting the increase may have been the result of layoff patterns rather than genuine progress.

The pattern of women’s industry representation increasing during economic downturns has persisted for over 60 years and there’s a straightforward explanation: women are significantly overrepresented in white-collar construction positions, which tend to be more recession-proof, while severely underrepresented in direct construction roles, which are more vulnerable to layoffs. According to research by the Home Builders Institute, women held approximately two-thirds of the construction industry’s sales and office positions in 2023.

Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals that women comprise less than 5% of hands-on construction positions, with even lower representation in specific trades. For example, women make up just 3.5% of the nation’s 2.3 million construction laborers, the category featuring the least experienced construction workers, and even this low percentage exceeds women’s representation in many skilled trades. As of 2024, women accounted for less than 3% of electricians, brick masons, cement masons, and highway maintenance workers.

Even in hands-on construction occupations with the highest female representation—building inspectors (11.5%), painters and paperhangers (10.8%), and first-line supervisors (6.0%)—women remain significantly underrepresented.

However, recent years have shown a modest increase in women’s participation in hands-on construction roles, driven by the unprecedented boom in new home construction and surge in certain nonresidential sectors during the post-pandemic recovery. As immigration restrictions and a wave of early retirements in 2020 left the construction workforce struggling to meet demand, severe labor shortages led to accelerated female recruitment. From January 2020 to January 2025, the number of women working in construction grew by 21%, compared to a growth rate of just 8% for men. Consequently, women now represent 14.3% of all construction workers, an all-time high.

Although women still predominantly occupy administrative roles within the industry, much of the growth over the past five years has occurred in hands-on positions. Women’s share of these jobs increased from 3.5% pre-pandemic to 4.3% in 2024.

Looking ahead, women’s overall representation in construction will likely continue growing. There are several initiatives to attract women to the industry, including recent efforts related to the CHIPS Act and structured mentorship programs from large contractors. While these efforts have been moderately successful, women will likely continue to primarily fill white-collar construction positions due to the scarcity of experienced female mentors and higher college attendance rates relative to men.