The construction industry in Arizona is good for around $37 billion of the state’s overall Gross Domestic Product, according to a new survey just released by the Association of General Contractors.
In 2024 the Grand Canyon State was the home to more than 18,300 construction companies, taking part in an economy that saw around $35 billion in nonresidential spending.
These figures, compiled by AGC with the industry information service Construct Connect, also show that construction employment in Arizona in July of this year stood at 223,500, up by around 1,100 over the previous July.
Highest-paying Arizona construction jobs: first-line supervisors at just over $78,000; followed by plumbers and pipefitters at slightly less than $62,000; and electricians, not far behind, at $59,480.
In Colorado, the construction industry represented $33 billion, accounting for nearly 6% of the state’s overall Gross Domestic Product. Colorado had roughly 21,700 construction companies. Non-residential spending equaled $8 billion in the Centennial State last year, with state and local projects coming in at $7 billion.
Total Colorado construction employment in July of this year stood at 186,700, which meant a slight decrease of 700 jobs. Meanwhile, first-line supervisors saw annual salaries of $79,160 in 2024; followed by plumbers and pipefitters with $63,600 in wages; and electricians at $62,090.
Similar spending trends were recorded for New Mexico, with 5,500 construction companies representing a $6 billion dollar industry.
Private nonresidential spending in the state came in at $3 billion in 2024, with state and local project spending representing the same dollar amount. Construction employment, at the same time, equaled 61,700 this summer, a healthy increase of 7,700 over July of the previous year.
As with Arizona and Colorado, first-line supervisors led the pack in pay at $73,860; followed by plumbers and pipefitters at $59,660; and electricians at $56,890.
Wages for laborers in all three states were significantly on the lower side, with both Arizona and Colorado in the $46,000 range, and New Mexico’s annual pay in this category at $38,520.
September 18, 2025
By Garry Boulard
