Top Cities in the United States for Granite Construction Jobs

Finding a job in granite construction is a matter of tracking suitable build sites. But how should you go about that process? These are unprecedented times for job hunters, and the call for novel approaches to finding work has never been more clear. The key to finding granite construction jobs that will sustain you is learning to read industry trends and keeping tabs on cities and other locales of interest.

Keeping alert to new developments in your job category is where Joblist can lend more than a helping hand. With tailored responses to your unique job queries and a host of resources relevant to staying up-to-date with the nationwide job market, Joblist can offer specialized support to your search for work in granite construction.

At its root, granite construction refers to a branch of commercial or residential masonry building that includes the use of this popular, porous material. Granite has enjoyed immense preference among builders for usage in kitchens and bathrooms for several years, due to its durability and aesthetic appeal.

Masonry work is expected to grow 11% between 2018 and 2028 — a surge much greater than the average for all measured occupations. A person who works in granite construction might have a background in stonework or a more general construction background but possesses an interest in working with granite.

Part of the allure of construction jobs is that they always exist in a temporary and changing landscape. No city or area is building all of the time. Areas enter hot streaks, where construction is booming, and loads of money are being poured into development, but then just as quickly fall out of them. Jobs in granite construction are not so much recession-proof as they are nomadic.

With granite holding its top place in design trends for 2020, finding a granite construction job is mostly a matter of finding locations where new subdivisions, office parks, and other communal spaces are going up. Granite remains a higher-income building material, so it is wise to begin your search by evaluating the cities and towns with the most consistent high expendable income and/or state support, as these areas are far more likely to build with top-dollar materials.

The following list includes cities reporting higher-salaried construction jobs wherein granite construction positions can be found:

• Springfield, Illinois: With the state government representing the biggest source of employment in the city and grants for mega-expansions planned for public use areas, such as local colleges and medical centers, Springfield represents fertile job hunting ground for anyone looking for granite construction work. Springfield also features a low cost of living and an average construction worker wage that is 26% above the national average.

• Binghamton, New York: A recent $60 million donation earmarked for the construction of a state-of-the-art baseball stadium complex at Binghamton University is just the largest of many ongoing design projects underway in this southern New York area. Granite construction jobs in this midsize city can be projected to pay higher (22% above the national average) and occur more frequently (26% above the national per-capita average).

• Pittsfield, Massachusetts: Along with building emphasis in recent years centered on the active development of the Tyler Street District, Pittsfield is also a major port of call for jobs centered around the recent Transportation Bond Bill, which will sponsor major growth on an east-west rail connector across Massachusetts. Seekers of granite construction jobs here will likely find work with a longer range of potential employment and a varied set of location options.

The best places to find granite construction jobs in great abundance are often smaller cities rather than the vast urban metropolises — where high costs of living and looser wage requirements of private developments drive the masonry labor pool down. Looking for granite work in high concentration then becomes a process of examining areas of high growth potential, not necessarily high population.

Seasoned professionals in the field of granite construction are bound to have network contacts and former colleagues who can help them trace their next job site. If you are making a career change to granite construction, you are more likely to need to gauge the developmental neighborhoods in the cities where you would like to work.

The following list comprises cities with above-average numbers of construction jobs, and where availability of granite work is also likely to be higher:

• Farmington, New Mexico: Like many cities of late, Farmington has been on a recent bid to revitalize and repurpose its formerly bleak downtown area. The growth associated with the development of the burgeoning arts district represents a strong place to look for granite construction jobs, as many renovation-style projects emphasize the use of higher-quality materials. Reporting 375% more construction jobs per capita than the national average, Farmington is likely to provide a healthy number of opportunities for granite workers in upcoming years.

• Baton Rouge, Louisiana: With freshly opened Amazon headquarters drawing more people and more construction to the area, Baton Rouge is expected to enjoy a steady rise in residential buildings. The popularity of granite as a standard building material and the commonality with which it is used for residential kitchens and bathrooms makes Baton Rouge a smart place to look for upcoming granite construction jobs.

• Mount Vernon, Washington: Currently in the process of bringing 24,300 square feet of new commercial space to its downtown area, Mount Vernon has active development projects that could foster granite construction jobs. Planned apartment complexes and a continuous focus on the commercial development of this city’s urban spaces give Mount Vernon the likelihood of offering a higher concentration of granite work in the near future.

Of course, staying on top of the occupational statistics associated with granite work is important. However, there are a few other trends you can keep tabs on to sharpen your awareness of potential granite construction jobs. Look for areas where mixed-use facilities — such as shared shopping and living spaces — are encouraged. These types of builds are gaining traction nationwide and can offer various types of granite work in a single job site.

Urban revitalization projects are also vital to monitor. Look for cities with stated plans for a downtown facelift, the designation of an arts district, or big money coming in for shopping malls, stadiums, or high-rises.

Finally, actively following the business accounts of big tech companies like Amazon or Tesla can also lend insight into the building development plans of those types of companies and where you might expect the next large-scale office parks to shoot up. Any place where there is a large influx of people trailing the promise of a large influx of jobs, construction tends to follow.

Knowing how to search for your next granite construction job is every bit as important as knowing where to search. As granite is a specialized area within the larger job category of construction, it is helpful to have a search platform that can get specific.

The Joblist database can be searched via highly detailed terms like “masonry” or with more general verbiage, such as “construction.” Filters related to cities, work settings, and levels of expertise allow you to narrow your search even further to only show the jobs that suit your unique needs. You can also save your searches and return to them when you’re ready to apply.

With reliable career resources designed to assist you, with everything from resume creation to understanding the potential professional impact of social media, Joblist covers all the bases in your job search. Use the expert leads and advice on Joblist to help find your next granite construction job today.