• While overall employment in the State of New York increased 7.04% between 1997 and 2002, employment within the construction industry rose by 34.35%, creating 94,648 new construction jobs and creating 5,157 new construction establishments in 5 years.

• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 275,501 individuals employed in the construction industry in New York in 1997 and 370,149 in 2002, an increase of 34.35% in 5 years.

• Construction employees in New York made $40,187 on average in 2002, compared to $35,352, the national average salary in 2002 for construction workers across the United States.   

• The number of businesses in New York grew from 402,266 in 1997 to 414,534 in 2002, an increase of 3.05%.  Construction establishments in New York however, increased by 14.01% from 36,806 in 1997 to 41,963 in 2002.

• Of the 12,268 new businesses established between 1997 and 2002 in New York, 5,157 or 42.04% of those establishments were in the construction industry. 

• According to Union Membership and Coverage Database, available at www.unionstats.com, in 2006, only 24.2 percent of New York’s private construction workforce belonged to a construction trade union.  That means that approximately 75 out of 100 New Yorks private construction workers do not belong to a labor union.

Data are from the U.S. Bureau of the Census except where noted.

• New York is a prevailing wage state. There is no dollar threshold amount for contract coverage under state prevailing wage law in New York.