In 2023, 75% of U.S. construction workers reported experiencing workplace discrimination, while women still account for only 10.9% of the total workforce. At the same time, 85% of U.S. construction firms say they have DEI training programs, yet barriers like harassment, safety concerns, and lack of childcare are pushing many people out of trades. The gap between policies and everyday experience is where these statistics get especially telling.
Key Takeaways
- 75% of U.S. construction workers report experiencing workplace discrimination in 2023 surveys.
- Women cite safety concerns and harassment as top barriers, with 40% leaving trades within 5 years.
- Minorities face 22% higher injury rates in construction per 2022 OSHA data.
- 85% of U.S. construction firms implemented DEI training programs by 2023, reaching 70% employee participation.
- UK CITB launched 50+ women-in-construction mentorship schemes in 2022, boosting female apprenticeship starts by 18%.
- 62% of large U.S. contractors have formal equity hiring goals as of 2023 SHRM data.
- In 2022, women made up just 10.9% of the total construction workforce in the United States, highlighting a persistent gender gap despite industry growth.
- Only 4.3% of construction craftworkers were women in 2021, compared to 11.1% in professional and management roles within construction firms.
- Female participation in construction apprenticeships dropped to 9.2% in 2023 from 10.1% in 2020, per U.S. Department of Labor data.
- Women hold only 6.5% of CEO positions in top U.S. construction firms in 2023 ENR rankings.
- Minorities occupy 12.3% of executive roles in construction companies per 2022 Deloitte survey of 500 firms.
- In the UK, only 4% of construction board directors are women as of 2023, per industry board tracker.
- Black or African American workers constitute 7.2% of the U.S. construction workforce in 2022, per BLS data, amid overall industry employment of 7.5 million.
- Hispanic or Latino workers make up 30.1% of construction laborers in 2023, the highest representation among any occupational group.
- Asian workers represent just 2.1% of the total U.S. construction industry workforce in 2022, despite population growth.
U.S. construction still faces discrimination, injury disparities, and low women leadership, despite growing DEI efforts.
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01 · Category
Challenges And Barriers16 stats
01
75% of U.S. construction workers report experiencing workplace discrimination in 2023 surveys.
02
Women cite safety concerns and harassment as top barriers, with 40% leaving trades within 5 years.
03
Minorities face 22% higher injury rates in construction per 2022 OSHA data.
04
Lack of childcare support leads to 28% attrition among female construction workers.
05
55% of BAME workers in UK construction report bias in promotions per 2023 CIPD survey.
06
Apprenticeship completion rates for minorities are 15% lower due to lack of support networks.
07
60% of firms lack inclusive policies for LGBTQ+ workers, leading to higher turnover.
08
Language barriers affect 35% of Hispanic workers' advancement opportunities.
09
Rural construction sites show 40% less diversity due to recruitment challenges.
10
35% workers report microaggressions daily in construction.
11
48% minorities doubt promotion fairness 2023 Gallup poll.
12
Women report 30% more harassment incidents than averages.
13
25% dropout rate for minority apprentices due to culture.
14
LGBTQ+ visibility low: 2% out employees in trades 2023.
15
42% firms lack translation services for diverse hires.
16
Ageism affects 20% of older minority workers' retention.
Interpretation
Challenges And Barriers Interpretation
In the Challenges and Barriers facing DEI in construction, 75% of U.S. workers report workplace discrimination, and the effects are stark with women and minorities leaving at higher rates and facing worse safety outcomes, such as 22% higher injury rates for minorities and 40% of women leaving trades within 5 years.
02 · Category
Dei Programs And Initiatives19 stats
01
85% of U.S. construction firms implemented DEI training programs by 2023, reaching 70% employee participation.
02
UK CITB launched 50+ women-in-construction mentorship schemes in 2022, boosting female apprenticeship starts by 18%.
03
62% of large U.S. contractors have formal equity hiring goals as of 2023 SHRM data.
04
Canadian BuildForce funded 120 DEI scholarships for underrepresented groups in construction in 2023.
05
45% of Australian construction SMEs adopted inclusion policies post-2022 government incentives.
06
AGC's 2023 STEP program integrated DEI modules, adopted by 1,200 firms covering 500,000 workers.
07
EU Construction Confederation's 2022 charter signed by 300 firms committing to 20% minority hiring by 2025.
08
78% of U.S. firms report using blind resume screening for equity in 2023 surveys.
09
NAWIC's 2023 mentorship network paired 5,000 women with industry leaders.
10
92% of participating firms saw improved retention after inclusion workshops per 2022 ABC study.
11
90% of U.S. firms with DEI committees saw 12% diversity gains 2023.
12
UK Considerate Constructors scheme trained 10,000 on inclusion 2023.
13
55% contractors use DEI metrics in performance reviews 2023.
14
BuildForce Canada: 200 firms in equity supplier programs 2023.
15
Australia: 35% firms with Indigenous procurement targets 2023.
16
1,500 apprentices via AGC diversity pipeline 2023.
17
FIEC EU: 40% firms with gender quotas in hiring 2022.
18
Inclusive benefits adopted by 68% firms post-2023 surveys.
19
NAWIC scholarships: $2M awarded to 1,200 women 2023.
Interpretation
Dei Programs And Initiatives Interpretation
DEI programs are moving from intent to action, with 85% of U.S. construction firms rolling out DEI training by 2023 and participation reaching 70% while targeted initiatives like AGC’s STEP program expanded to 1,200 firms covering 500,000 workers.
03 · Category
Gender Diversity19 stats
01
In 2022, women made up just 10.9% of the total construction workforce in the United States, highlighting a persistent gender gap despite industry growth.
02
Only 4.3% of construction craftworkers were women in 2021, compared to 11.1% in professional and management roles within construction firms.
03
Female participation in construction apprenticeships dropped to 9.2% in 2023 from 10.1% in 2020, per U.S. Department of Labor data.
04
In the UK construction sector, women accounted for 14.2% of the workforce in 2022, up slightly from 13.1% in 2019 but still lagging EU averages.
05
Hispanic women represent only 1.2% of the U.S. construction labor force as of 2023, despite comprising 18% of the overall female workforce.
06
Women in construction earn 92.7 cents on the dollar compared to men in similar roles, based on 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data.
07
Only 7% of UK construction site workers are women, while office-based roles see 25% female representation in 2023 surveys.
08
In Canada, women hold 12.1% of construction jobs in 2022, with projections for 15% by 2030 under current DEI efforts.
09
Australian construction industry reports 6.8% female workforce in trade roles as of 2023, per government industry data.
10
In 2023, women comprised 11.4% of new construction hires in the U.S., but retention rates are 15% lower than male counterparts.
11
In 2023, only 9.8% of U.S. construction superintendents were women, per ENR field reports.
12
Female engineers in construction firms rose to 15.2% in 2022 from 13.4% in 2019.
13
Women in heavy civil construction are 5.1% of workforce in 2023 AGC data.
14
UK female construction managers increased to 9.3% in 2023 from 7.8% pre-pandemic.
15
In Texas, women are 12.7% of construction due to energy sector hiring.
16
Turnover for women in construction is 25% higher due to work-life imbalance.
17
Canadian women in trades: 11.3% in 2023, with carpentry at 4.2%.
18
Australia reports 8.4% female tradespeople in construction 2023 census.
19
EU average female construction workers: 13.5% in 2022, led by Nordic countries.
Interpretation
Gender Diversity Interpretation
For Gender Diversity, women remain a clear minority across construction roles and pipelines, with their share falling from 10.1% in 2020 to 9.2% in 2023 for apprentices and still totaling just 10.9% of the workforce in the United States in 2022 while earning 92.7 cents for every dollar men make.
More related reading
04 · Category
Leadership And Management Diversity18 stats
01
Women hold only 6.5% of CEO positions in top U.S. construction firms in 2023 ENR rankings.
02
Minorities occupy 12.3% of executive roles in construction companies per 2022 Deloitte survey of 500 firms.
03
In the UK, only 4% of construction board directors are women as of 2023, per industry board tracker.
04
Black executives represent 2.1% of senior management in U.S. construction per 2023 McKinsey report.
05
8.7% of construction firm owners or partners are women in 2022 U.S. Census data.
06
Hispanic leaders hold 9.4% of VP-level positions in large construction companies in 2023 AGC study.
07
Only 3.2% of construction project managers in Canada are from visible minorities in 2022 stats.
08
Australian construction boards have 11.2% female representation in 2023, per ASX corporate governance data.
09
In EU construction majors, 7.9% of C-suite roles are held by ethnic minorities per 2022 EIB survey.
10
Female VPs in construction: 8.9% in Fortune 500 firms 2023.
11
Minority CFOs in construction: 4.2% per 2023 Glassdoor analysis.
12
UK construction chairs: 3.1% women 2023 Parker Review.
13
Women directors in top 100 contractors: 22.4% average 2023.
14
Black managers: 3.8% in mid-sized U.S. firms 2022 NMSDC.
15
Latino executives: 7.6% in ENR Top 400 2023.
16
Canadian female presidents: 6.7% of CCA members 2023.
17
Aussie female MDs in construction: 9.1% 2023 Master Builders.
18
EU diverse leadership index in construction: 11.3% 2022.
Interpretation
Leadership And Management Diversity Interpretation
Despite progress elsewhere, leadership and management in construction remains heavily imbalanced, with women holding just 6.5% of CEO roles in top U.S. firms and minorities representing only 12.3% of executive roles, showing that leadership diversity is still far from parity.
05 · Category
Racial And Ethnic Diversity18 stats
01
Black or African American workers constitute 7.2% of the U.S. construction workforce in 2022, per BLS data, amid overall industry employment of 7.5 million.
02
Hispanic or Latino workers make up 30.1% of construction laborers in 2023, the highest representation among any occupational group.
03
Asian workers represent just 2.1% of the total U.S. construction industry workforce in 2022, despite population growth.
04
Native American or Alaska Native individuals hold 1.8% of construction jobs in 2023 U.S. data, with underrepresentation in skilled trades.
05
In the UK, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) workers are 12.4% of construction employees in 2022, up from 9.8% in 2018.
06
Multiracial workers account for 3.7% of U.S. construction roles in 2023, showing slow growth in diverse hiring.
07
White non-Hispanic workers dominate at 56.3% of U.S. construction workforce in 2022, down from 62% in 2010.
08
In Canada, Indigenous peoples represent 4.2% of construction workers in 2022, with targeted programs aiming for 6% by 2025.
09
Australian Indigenous workers are 2.9% of construction industry in 2023, per national census data.
10
In the EU, migrant workers from ethnic minorities comprise 18.7% of construction labor in 2022 Eurostat figures.
11
Black women are 1.4% of U.S. construction workforce in 2023 BLS update.
12
Asian Pacific Islanders: 1.9% in skilled trades construction 2022 data.
13
Pacific Islander workers: 0.4% of total construction employment 2023.
14
In California, Latinos are 45.2% of construction laborers 2023.
15
UK South Asian construction workers: 6.7% in 2023 ONS ethnicity data.
16
Indigenous women in Canadian construction: 1.2% of total 2022.
17
Australian Pacific Islander construction workers: 1.1% per 2023 ABS.
18
EU Roma minorities: 0.8% in construction despite 2% population share.
Interpretation
Racial And Ethnic Diversity Interpretation
Across the Racial and Ethnic Diversity landscape in construction, representation remains uneven, with Hispanic or Latino workers leading at 30.1% of laborers in 2023 while Asian workers are only 2.1% in 2022 and Black or African American workers account for just 7.2% of the workforce in 2022.
report visual · Breakdown
DEI in construction: barriers vs. adoption
A large share of workers report discrimination and daily microaggressions, while many firms report adopting DEI programs and practices—highlighting a gap between lived experience and organizational action.
75%
75% of U.S. construction workers report experiencing workplace discrimination in 2023 surveys.
25%
25% dropout rate for minority apprentices due to culture.
Reference
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APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Construction Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-construction-industry-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-construction-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Construction Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-construction-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
48 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level