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Arkansas has been named the no. 2 state for construction in the United States.
The Associated Builders and Contractors released its 10th annual “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard,” ranking all states on their construction environments. Arkansas moved up one spot in the rankings, moving from no. 3 in 2023 to no. 2 in 2024.
According to an Associated Builders and Contractors press release, Arkansas “has excelled at all aspects of fostering and educating a skilled workforce, boasting a 6.1% growth rate in construction industry jobs and delivering outstanding results in CTE. Arkansas also maintains a fair and open public construction market, allowing the full breadth of the state’s construction workforce to pursue projects.”
The “Building America: The Merit Shop Scorecard” is a tool that ranks states based on core issues related to the construction industry, including state policies on Right to Work, prevailing wage, public-private partnerships, career and technical education, and government-mandated project labor agreements. The overall ranking was determined by combining the scores of seven graded categories, which include PLA Mandates, Prevailing Wage, Right to Work, Public-Private Partnerships, Workforce Development, Career & Technical Education, and Job Growth Rate.
Arkansas received “A” rankings in six of seven categories: PLA Mandates, Prevailing Wage, Right to Work, Public-Private Partnerships, Career & Technical Education, and Job Growth Rate. Arkansas received more “A” rankings than any other state.
“Policies and processes that protect free enterprise, promote economic growth, reduce regulatory burdens and expand workforce development create the conditions to welcome all of the U.S. construction industry to rebuild America’s infrastructure,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC’s vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “States like Wisconsin, Arkansas, Kentucky, West Virginia and Florida set the standard in favorable conditions for the construction industry, and its workforce, to thrive. Hard-working taxpayers are best served by a regulatory environment that creates a level playing field for all contractors to build America with fewer obstacles.”
Founded in 1950, the Associated Builders and Contractors is a national trade association focused on the construction industry that represents more than 21,000 members.
