Construction has long been a male-dominated field. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 13 percent of payroll employees in the construction industry are women—a number that has remained relatively stagnant since the 1990s. When also taking into account self-employed workers, the proportion is even lower, at just 10.3 percent. Despite the gender gap in employment, some job functions and locations offer better opportunities for women seeking a career in the construction industry.
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20. Columbus, OH
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 11.7%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,395
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 18,139
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $40,913
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19. Denver, CO
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 11.8%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 3,636
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 27,277
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $49,437
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18. Austin, TX
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 11.8%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 4,650
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 34,688
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $40,595
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17. New Orleans, LA
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 11.9%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,143
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 8,433
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $37,300
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16. Louisville, KY
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 12.1%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,932
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 13,971
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $46,560
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15. Baltimore, MD
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 12.3%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,577
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 11,201
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $50,740
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14. Portland, OR
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 13.0%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,897
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 12,703
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $63,892
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13. Kansas City, MO
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 13.1%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,760
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 11,630
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $41,742
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12. Tampa, FL
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 13.3%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,015
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 13,135
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $49,938
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11. San Diego, CA
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 13.3%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 4,270
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 27,919
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $53,990
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10. Wichita, KS
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 13.4%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,855
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 12,011
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $40,067
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9. Charlotte, NC
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 13.6%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 4,747
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 30,113
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $36,988
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8. El Paso, TX
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 14.1%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,968
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 18,044
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $35,710
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7. Atlanta, GA
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 14.6%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 885
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 5,158
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $44,346
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6. Colorado Springs, CO
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 15.4%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,743
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 15,037
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $55,363
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5. Virginia Beach, VA
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 15.5%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,187
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 11,891
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $52,325
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4. Washington, DC
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 16.1%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,831
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 9,517
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $52,035
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3. San Francisco, CA
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 17.0%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,985
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 14,590
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $70,711
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2. Seattle, WA
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 17.6%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 2,697
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 12,664
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $70,966
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1. Minneapolis, MN
- Female employment share in the construction industry: 19.1%
- Total female employment in the construction industry: 1,298
- Total male employment in the construction industry: 5,495
- Median earnings for full-time workers in the construction industry: $54,521
Methodology & detailed findings
While the share of women in construction has remained relatively flat over the past 30 years, a number of industry trends could increase their representation in the future.
Research from Deloitte’s 2020 Engineering and Construction Industry Outlook report shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the importance of efficient project management, which could create more demand for the administrative and management jobs in construction that women have historically been more likely to fill.
Additionally, a recent survey shows that only 3 percent of young adults ages 18 to 25 are interested in pursuing a construction-related career. The ensuing short supply of labor will likely drive up wages for construction-related careers, making the industry more appealing for women in general. This combination of factors suggests that there could be strong opportunities for women in construction looking ahead.
The data used in this analysis is from the U.S. Census Bureau 2019 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. The female employment share in the construction industry was calculated by dividing the total number of female workers in construction by the total number of male and female workers in construction. The statistics include the civilian employed population (full-time and part-time) 16 years and over. The median earnings statistics shown include all men and women, but are for the full-time civilian employed population 16 years and over only.
Locations were ordered by the female employment share in the construction industry. In the event of a tie, the location with the larger number of total female workers in construction was ranked higher. Only cities with at least 100,000 residents and available data from the Census Bureau were included. Additionally, cities were grouped into the following population cohorts: small (100,000–149,999), midsize (150,000–349,999), and large (350,000 or more).
