Construction & Real Estate · Phoenix, AZ
The Valley has the deepest field bench of any construction market Careerscape covers, with more laborers, electricians, plumbers and supervisors per job than the other eight, while civil engineers run thin. Our recruiters specialize in construction and real estate and serve Phoenix-area employers remotely from a national team.
Where it's built
Four places that shape construction and real estate hiring across the Valley, named as market context only. For the Valley's wider economy and Arizona hiring rules, see our Phoenix staffing guide.
TSMC Arizona's fab site. On the April 16, 2026 earnings call, TSMC chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said construction of the second Arizona fab was finished, with 3nm volume production set for the second half of 2027, as reported by TrendForce.
Intel's Fab 52, which Intel said in October 2025 was fully operational on its 18A process. Fab work uses electricians, pipefitters and controls technicians, the same trades Valley homebuilders and commercial contractors hire.
Homebuilder Meritage Homes is headquartered here. Builders, developers and brokerages across the Valley hire superintendents, purchasing and warranty staff and agents from the same field and sales pools shown below.
The Del E. Webb School of Construction offers construction management and construction engineering degrees, including an online B.S. and M.S. in construction management and technology, and hosts an OSHA Education Center.
Valley numbers
Metro construction payrolls turned positive over the summer of 2026 after a spring decline. Licensing figures are statewide Arizona rules.
Deep crews
Phoenix has more construction laborers (location quotient 1.74), electricians (1.49), first-line supervisors (1.35) and plumbers and pipefitters (1.30) relative to its size than any of the nine construction markets Careerscape covers. Laborers alone number 29,230.
| Occupation | Jobs in metro | Median pay · vs. U.S. | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction Managers | 8,170 | $118,350+3% | 1.41 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 16,770 | $79,840±0% | 1.35 |
| Cost Estimators | 4,380 | $77,590−1% | 1.28 |
| Civil Engineers | 4,690 | $90,330−10% | 0.83 |
| Electricians | 17,240 | $61,210−3% | 1.49 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 9,270 | $63,750±0% | 1.30 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | 2,460 | $76,650+3% | 1.10 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers | 7,670 | $64,290−8% | 1.61 |
| Real Estate Sales Agents | 3,930 | $60,890+15% | 1.33 |
| Construction Laborers | 29,230 | $46,910±0% | 1.74 |
Trade pay sits right at the U.S. level. Plumbers earn $63,750 and supervisors $79,840, essentially equal to the national medians, and electricians earn $61,210, about 3% below. Civil engineers are the gap: a location quotient of 0.83 and a median of $90,330, about 10% under the U.S. Real estate sales agents earn $60,890, about 15% above the U.S. median, and property managers $64,290, about 8% below. Jobs and median annual pay for the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, all employers, from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey (May 2025). “Vs. U.S.” compares with the national median. Concentration is the BLS location quotient: above 1.0 means the job makes up a bigger share of local employment than it does nationally.
Arizona licenses
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) licenses contracting businesses through a qualifying party. Individual journeyman and apprentice electricians do not need a state license, though some cities and counties set their own rules. General information only; check with the ROC.
| Credential | Issued by | Requirement | Hiring note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor license, through a qualifying party | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (A.R.S. 32-1122) | At least four years of practical or management trade experience, two of them within the last ten years, and a written exam unless waived | Accredited technical training can count for up to two of the four years. A person who was a qualifying party in the same class within five years can skip the exam. |
| Electrical contractor: R-11, C-11 or K-11 | Arizona Registrar of Contractors | Residential, commercial, or both | With no state journeyman license to look up, verify an electrician's hours and references directly. |
| Real estate salesperson | Arizona Department of Real Estate | 90-hour pre-licensing course, 6-hour contract writing course, Pearson general and state exams, and a fingerprint clearance card from the Department of Public Safety | Ask whether a candidate already holds a fingerprint clearance card; without one, it is an extra step before licensing. |
The ROC exam covers the trade, building, safety, health and lien laws, and contracting business principles. Source: Arizona Revised Statutes 32-1122.
Valley hiring
Where a local search works, and where it does not.
With field pools deeper than in any market we cover and pay at the U.S. level, most foreman, electrician and plumber searches can stay in the metro. Lead with the schedule and the site, since candidates have options.
Civil engineers are thin here and earn a median of $90,330. Candidates from higher-paying markets will expect more than that, so check the civil engineer salary guide before setting a range.
An ROC license is tied to a qualifying party. When you hire a project manager to run subcontractors, confirm each sub's license class (R-11, C-11 or K-11 for electrical) matches the work.
Chip projects in north Phoenix and Chandler hire on their own schedules and compete for the same electricians. If your job overlaps a fab ramp, lock in crews early and see the electrician salary guide for national pay.
With 29,230 construction laborers in the metro, temporary staffing can cover a pour, a punch list or a community's final phase without adding permanent headcount.
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FAQ
Not as individuals. Arizona's Registrar of Contractors licenses electrical contracting businesses (R-11 residential, C-11 commercial, K-11 both) through a qualifying party, but journeyman and apprentice electricians do not hold a state license. Some cities and counties have their own requirements. Because there is no state journeyman record to check, verify an electrician's hours, past employers and references directly before an offer.
The BLS median was $46,910 in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro in May 2025, essentially the U.S. median of $47,120. The 10th to 90th percentile range was $36,770 to $62,250. There were 29,230 construction laborer jobs, and a location quotient of 1.74, the highest of the nine construction markets Careerscape covers.
Under A.R.S. 32-1122, the qualifying party needs at least four years of practical or management trade experience in the type of work, two of them within the last ten years, and must pass a written exam unless it is waived. Accredited technical training can substitute for up to two years. The exam covers the trade plus building, safety, health and lien laws and the business of contracting.
Yes, after a soft spring. BLS counted 183,900 construction jobs in the Phoenix metro in September 2026 (preliminary), up 3.3% from a year earlier. In April 2026 the count had been 1.7% below the prior year. Chip fab work in north Phoenix and Chandler continues, and TSMC expects 3nm volume production at its second Arizona fab in the second half of 2027.
Yes. This page's BLS data covers Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale and the rest of the Valley. Careerscape has no Phoenix office. Recruiters who specialize in construction and real estate work remotely, screen by phone and video, and send a short list to your Employer Portal so you can interview finalists on site.
Send the role and location. You review the screened candidates, and give feedback, in your Employer Portal.
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