Oregon Labor Market Information System
Industry Report for NAICS 23 - Construction
Industry Description
The construction sector comprises establishments primarily engaged in the construction of buildings or engineering projects (e.g., highways and utility systems). Establishments primarily engaged in the preparation of sites for new construction and establishments primarily engaged in subdividing land for sale as building sites also are included in this sector. Construction work done may include new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. (more...)

Activities of these establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites. Production responsibilities for establishments in this sector are usually specified in (1) contracts with the owners of construction projects (prime contracts) or (2) contracts with other construction establishments (subcontracts). Establishments primarily engaged in contracts that include responsibility for all aspects of individual construction projects are commonly known as general contractors, but also may be known as design-builders, construction managers, turnkey contractors, or (in cases where two or more establishments jointly secure a general contract) joint-venture contractors. Construction managers that provide oversight and scheduling only (i.e., agency) as well as construction managers that are responsible for the entire project (i.e. at risk) are included as general contractor type establishments. Establishments of the "general contractor type" frequently arrange construction of separate parts of their projects through subcontracts with other construction establishments. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to produce a specific component (e.g., masonry, painting, and electrical work) of a construction project are commonly known as specialty trade contractors. Activities of specialty trade contractors are usually subcontracted from other construction establishments but, especially in remodeling and repair construction, the work may be done directly for the owner of the property. Establishments primarily engaged in activities to construct buildings to be sold on sites that they own are known as operative builders, but also may be known as speculative builders or merchant builders. Operative builders produce buildings in a manner similar to general contractors, but their production processes also include site acquisition and securing of financial backing. Operative builders are most often associated with the construction of residential buildings. Like general contractors, they may subcontract all or part of the actual construction work on their buildings. (hide description)


Employment, Payroll and Business Establishmentsdownload spreadsheet
for NAICS 23 - Construction
in the Oregon-Washington WIRED Region

Year Avg
Emp
Total
Payroll
Avg Pay
per Worker
Business
Estabs.
2003 57,598 $2,360,050,039 $40,975 8,830
2004 61,242 $2,551,285,078 $41,659 8,853
2005 66,622 $2,852,036,620 $42,809 9,150
2006 73,222 $3,299,638,484 $45,063 9,744
2007 76,327 $3,579,778,722 $46,901 10,075
2008 70,711 $3,477,728,495 $49,182 9,580
2009 56,775 $2,853,416,260 $50,258 8,353

The above data is taken from quarterly unemployment tax records.

Employment changes between December and January of each year may be due in part to corrections to industry classification and/or geographic classification of some firms.

Source: Oregon Employment Department


Detailed Industry Breakoutdownload spreadsheet
for the Oregon-Washington WIRED Region

Industry NAICS 2009
Avg
Emp
2009
Total
Payroll
2009
Avg Pay
per Worker
2009
Business
Estabs.
Construction 23 56,775 $2,853,416,260 $50,258 8,353
Construction of Buildings 236 12,560 $667,980,193 $53,183 2,541
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 237 6,634 $427,698,870 $64,471 548
Specialty Trade Contractors 238 37,581 $1,757,737,197 $46,772 5,264

Source: Oregon Employment Department



Employment Projectionsdownload spreadsheet
for the Oregon-Washington WIRED Region

Industry NAICS 2008
Employment
2018
Employment
Change % Change
All Industries - 1,235,695 1,362,997 127,302 10.3%
Construction 23 71,573 73,416 1,843 2.6%
Construction of Buildings 236 16,004 16,356 352 2.2%
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 237 7,798 7,871 73 0.9%
Specialty Trade Contractors 238 47,771 49,189 1,418 3.0%

Source: Oregon Employment Department


Shift-Sharedownload spreadsheet
for the Oregon-Washington WIRED Region, 2003 to 2009

Industry NAICS 2009
Location
Quotient
Employment
Growth
2003 - 2009
National
Growth
Industry
Mix
Regional
Shift
Construction 23 1.07 -823 366 -6,612 5,423
Construction of Buildings 236 1.05 -430 83 -1,995 1,482
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 237 0.87 237 41 -335 531
Specialty Trade Contractors 238 1.12 -630 243 -4,341 3,468

Location Quotient: The ratio of the local percentage of employment in a given industry to the national percentage of employment in the same industry. An LQ greater than 1 indicates a higher-than-average concentration of employment in the given industry.

National Growth: The change in local employment that would have occurred for a specific industry had it grown at the national growth rate of all industries combined.

Industry Mix: The additional gain (or loss) in local employment that would have occurred for a specific industry (additional to the national growth effect) due to the industry growing faster (or slower) nationally than the rate of all industries combined.

Regional Shift: The additional gain (or loss) in local employment for a specific industry beyond the national growth and industry mix effects resulting from the industry growing faster (or slower) than the same industry nationally.

Source: Oregon Employment Department


Industry Staffing Patterns: Major Occupationsdownload spreadsheet
related to NAICS 23 - Construction in the Oregon-Washington WIRED Region

Occupation 2008 Employment,
This Industry Only
Occupational
Percent of
Total Industry
Industry
Percent of
Total Occupation
Carpenters 9,217 11.1% 85.8%
Construction Laborers 6,362 7.7% 85.4%
Electricians 4,887 5.9% 85.1%
Supervisors and Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 4,118 5.0% 85.8%
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitter 4,012 4.8% 88.8%
Painters, Construction and Maintenance 3,099 3.7% 87.2%
Construction Managers 1,973 2.4% 80.3%
Office Clerks, General 1,869 2.2% 7.4%
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 1,841 2.2% 10.2%
Roofers 1,831 2.2% 98.0%
Cost Estimators 1,766 2.1% 68.7%
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers 1,749 2.1% 96.7%
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 1,617 2.0% 74.7%
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 1,472 1.8% 98.6%
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 1,440 1.7% 71.0%
Sheet Metal Workers 1,420 1.7% 69.8%
General and Operations Managers 1,113 1.3% 7.4%
Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer 912 1.1% 6.0%
Tapers 878 1.1% 97.3%
Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 753 0.9% 5.6%

Source: Oregon Employment Department


All-Industry Projections for Major Occupationsdownload spreadsheet
related to NAICS 23 - Construction in the Oregon-Washington WIRED Region

Occupation 2008
Employment
2018
Employment

Change
% Change Projected
Annual
Growth
Openings
Projected
Annual
Replacement
Openings
Projected
Total
Annual
Openings
Carpenters 12,393 12,737 344 2.8% 34 157 191
Construction Laborers 8,232 8,535 303 3.7% 30 56 86
Electricians 5,936 6,216 280 4.7% 28 147 175
Supervisors and Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 5,201 5,392 191 3.7% 19 102 122
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitter 4,796 5,112 316 6.6% 32 100 132
Painters, Construction and Maintenance 4,187 4,248 61 1.5% 6 72 78
Construction Managers 3,111 3,229 118 3.8% 12 25 37
Office Clerks, General 25,131 27,793 2,662 10.6% 266 361 627
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 18,314 20,072 1,758 9.6% 176 231 406
Roofers 2,005 2,022 17 0.8% 2 33 35
Cost Estimators 2,587 2,692 105 4.1% 11 59 69
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers 1,836 1,862 26 1.4% 3 47 49
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 2,203 2,227 24 1.1% 2 38 40
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 1,575 1,580 5 0.3% 1 17 18
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 2,137 2,347 210 9.8% 21 36 57
Sheet Metal Workers 2,042 2,079 37 1.8% 4 49 53
General and Operations Managers 14,951 16,304 1,353 9.0% 135 453 588
Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer 15,610 16,569 959 6.1% 96 288 384
Tapers 1,000 991 -9 -0.9% 0 11 11
Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 13,618 15,103 1,485 10.9% 149 194 342

Source: Oregon Employment Department


Occupational Wages (All Industries, 2010)download spreadsheet
All-industry wages for major occupations related to NAICS 23 - Construction

Occupation 10th
Percentile
Wage
25th
Percentile
Wage
50th
Percentile
Wage
75th
Percentile
Wage
90th
Percentile
Wage
Avg
Hourly
Wage
Avg
Annual
Wage
Carpenters $13.10 $15.44 $19.96 $27.55 $33.16 $21.74 $45,227
Construction Laborers $10.66 $12.41 $15.36 $20.67 $25.44 $16.90 $35,158
Electricians $17.39 $25.79 $32.36 $37.01 $40.42 $30.73 $63,920
Supervisors and Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $19.61 $24.05 $30.94 $37.79 $44.56 $31.24 $64,990
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitter $16.37 $21.39 $27.82 $34.79 $41.70 $28.31 $58,887
Painters, Construction and Maintenance $11.72 $13.24 $15.23 $18.24 $22.14 $16.16 $33,617
Construction Managers $24.43 $31.02 $39.77 $50.78 $65.78 $43.01 $89,470
Office Clerks, General $9.61 $11.37 $13.98 $17.15 $20.16 $14.58 $30,323
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks $12.44 $14.31 $17.11 $20.34 $24.48 $17.76 $36,946
Roofers $10.40 $12.07 $15.88 $21.81 $28.67 $17.62 $36,643
Cost Estimators $16.64 $21.46 $28.97 $36.39 $44.70 $29.44 $61,221
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers $14.57 $16.82 $20.75 $26.56 $31.88 $21.92 $45,609
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $17.83 $21.15 $25.65 $30.57 $34.80 $25.93 $53,928
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers $11.03 $17.10 $26.65 $31.83 $35.84 $24.58 $51,128
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers $13.14 $16.57 $21.93 $27.29 $31.58 $22.14 $46,047
Sheet Metal Workers $12.74 $17.33 $27.40 $34.30 $38.80 $26.10 $54,280
General and Operations Managers $25.25 $33.23 $46.57 $64.99 NA $53.83 $111,957
Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer $13.95 $16.29 $18.91 $22.43 $25.89 $19.43 $40,408
Tapers $14.44 $16.99 $21.95 $27.38 $31.80 $22.20 $46,177
Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive $11.08 $13.48 $16.20 $19.30 $22.23 $16.40 $34,120

Source: Oregon Employment Department

Source: Oregon Employment Department


Oreogn Employment Service Job Applicants - January 2011download spreadsheet

Occupation Oregon Job Applicants by Experience Level
None <1 Year 1-4 Years 5-9 Years 10+ Years Oregon Total
Carpenters 496 466 1,545 949 1,831 5,287
Construction Laborers 796 1,307 3,829 1,635 1,964 9,531
Electricians 386 124 247 195 406 1,358
Supervisors and Managers of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers 347 118 658 524 1,023 2,670
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitter 386 331 567 258 375 1,917
Painters, Construction and Maintenance 304 693 1,628 670 1,005 4,300
Construction Managers 251 84 474 369 675 1,853
Office Clerks, General 1,005 1,805 6,687 3,466 5,204 18,167
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks 664 671 2,352 1,172 2,092 6,951
Roofers 280 504 764 233 278 2,059
Cost Estimators 187 65 315 220 309 1,096
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers 310 438 657 267 415 2,087
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators 335 225 855 539 912 2,866
Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers 239 681 1,001 314 419 2,654
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers 186 163 338 132 234 1,053
Sheet Metal Workers 328 347 571 195 263 1,704
General and Operations Managers 290 145 1,340 1,153 1,844 4,772
Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer 272 285 900 637 1,374 3,468
Tapers 195 208 244 88 126 861
Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive 699 297 1,582 956 1,516 5,050

Occupational experience is largely self-reported.

Applicants counts include only those registered with the Oregon Employment Department. They do not represent all job applicants across the WIRED region.

Applicants may be listed under multiple occupational categories, so summing applicant counts across occupational classifications will result in some double-counting.

Source: Oregon Employment Department


The Oregon-Washington WIRED Region consists of Clackamas, Columbia, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill counties in Oregon, and Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties in Washington.