SANTO DOMINGO– The construction sector continues to be one of the main job creators and a driving force of the Dominican economy. However, the 2025 National Survey of Economic Activity (ENAE) shows that it still lags behind other productive activities when comparing the average wages received by its workers.
The results published by the National Statistics Office (ONE) show that, during 2024, the highest average monthly salaries corresponded to Mining and Quarrying, at RD$76,136.48, followed by Electricity, Gas, Steam and Air Conditioning Supply, at RD$68,863.20. In contrast, the rest of the economic sectors, including construction, registered average salaries below RD$50,000 per month.
The wage gap presents one of the challenges facing the construction industry: competing for skilled labor in a labor market where other activities offer higher levels of remuneration.
A challenge to attract talent
In recent years, developers, contractors, and industry associations have warned about the difficulty in finding skilled personnel in areas such as masonry, carpentry, electricity, welding, and heavy equipment operation.
Although the ENAE does not analyze the causes of this situation, the data shows that construction remains far from the highest-paying sectors in the country, a condition that may influence the ability to attract and retain skilled workers.
The availability of labor is a key element for the pace of execution of residential, tourism and public infrastructure projects, especially in a context where the demand for new buildings continues to grow.
A male-dominated sector
The report also confirms another historical characteristic of construction activity.
Construction is among the sectors with the highest male participation in formal Dominican employment, exceeding 74% of the total workers during the years analyzed.
This reality reflects that the incorporation of women into technical and operational roles continues to be limited, although in recent years there has been a greater female presence in areas of engineering, architecture, construction supervision and project management.
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