NAICS 23

Construction in State College, PA

Metro Market Score 46.0 (Moderate), ranked #154 of 342 metros. 283 establishments, 2,879 jobs.

Metro Market Score 46.0

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

At #154 of 342 metros, State College's construction sector scores 46.0 on the market index. Concentration (23.4), wage levels (45.0), and growth (28.6) all track close to the median. Local factors like lease costs and client access will matter more than macro signals.

Industry Concentration

23.4

LQ: 0.80

Rank #80 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

45.0

$71,349 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 28.6

Employment growth index

Rank #245 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

37.4

YoY wage change index

283 Construction Firms in State College

283

Establishments

+0.0% YoY

2,879

Total Employment

-0.3% YoY

$71,349

Average Annual Wage

+5.9% YoY

0.80

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#9 of 14

construction metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#3 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

+0.3

worse than median (45.7)

State College vs Pennsylvania Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Pennsylvania overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	State College	PA Statewide
Overall Score	46.0 Moderate	28.4 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#154 of 342 metros	#3 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in State College

Other Services 30.2 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.5 Administrative and Support Services 40.5 Accommodation and Food Services 41.8 Information 48.3 Retail Trade 48.9 Finance and Insurance 49.5 Healthcare and Social Assistance 54.1 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 59.6

Construction in Other Pennsylvania Metros

Johnstown 26.0 #21/342 Altoona 29.8 #39/342 Chambersburg 31.6 #49/342 Erie 36.6 #74/342 Williamsport 40.7 #112/342 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre 43.2 #130/342 Lebanon 43.3 #132/342 Harrisburg-Carlisle 45.7 #152/342 Pittsburgh 50.9 #203/342 Gettysburg 53.4 #229/342

+ 3 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of State College's 46.0 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH 46.1 #155/342 Rochester, MN 46.2 #156/342 Mobile, AL 45.8 #153/342 Columbus, OH 46.2 #157/342 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 45.7 #152/342 Canton-Massillon, OH 46.3 #158/342 Fort Smith, AR 46.4 #159/342 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 46.4 #160/342 Stockton-Lodi, CA 46.4 #161/342 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 46.4 #162/342

Construction in States Bordering Pennsylvania

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Maryland 35.0 #12/51 Ohio 41.7 #24/51 Delaware 43.0 #26/51 New Jersey 48.3 #33/51 West Virginia 49.5 #35/51 New York 51.1 #37/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For State College's construction sector, the employment growth component (71.3) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the State College, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment