The National Hispanic Construction Alliance (NHCA), a trade association powered by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), the nation’s largest Latino business organization, released its inaugural “State of Hispanics in Construction Report.” NHCA was founded to support Latino-owned developers, construction businesses, workers, and tradesmen by building capacity and creating business opportunities for its members. This report highlights the role of Hispanic workers and Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S. construction sector, while also examining the challenges and opportunities for growth. With this report, NHCA aims to inform industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders of the evolving landscape of the construction industry and the critical role of the Hispanic labor force.
Key findings from the report include:
- Hispanics comprise 30.31 percent of the construction workforce, totaling approximately 3.7 million workers.
- Hispanics account for 59.1 percent of the construction industry’s workforce growth between 2018 and 2023.
- Only 15.72 percent of Hispanic construction workers hold management, supervisory, or engineering roles, compared to 35.73 percent of non-Hispanic workers.
- Hispanic workers face significant wage gaps in higher-tier positions, with non-Hispanics earning up to 10.6 percent more in management roles.
“America is in the process of rebuilding our infrastructure and substantially expanding our housing stock. This cannot be achieved without a large, robust, highly skilled workforce which is predominantly going to come from the Hispanic community,” said Sergio Barajas, Executive Director of NHCA. “This report underscores the indispensable contributions of Hispanic workers to the construction industry while highlighting the urgent need for targeted initiatives to promote professional education and career advancement.”
In conjunction with the report, NHCA also announced its 2025 Policy Priorities, focusing on four core areas:
- Immigration Reform: Advocating for expanded legal pathways for skilled construction workers and protections for long-term contributors to the industry.
- Organized Labor Policies: Promoting fair and balanced labor practices that protect worker rights while supporting Hispanic-owned businesses.
- Over-Regulation: Addressing regulatory burdens that disproportionately impact small and minority-owned construction firms.
- Trade & Economy: Supporting economic policies that reduce tariffs on construction materials and make small business tax benefits permanent.
To learn more about NHCA, its mission, and its members, as well as access to the full “State of Hispanics in Construction Report”, and 2025 policy priorities, visit the NHCA website.
