United States Construction Consulting - Market Size, Share, Industry Trends, and Growth Forecasts, 2026-2031 | AI and Infrastructure Drive 7.70% CAGR

Dublin, Oct. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "United States Construction Consulting - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The United States construction consulting market is projected to grow from USD 433.94 billion in 2025 to USD 466.49 billion in 2026, reaching USD 675.96 billion by 2031. The market is expected to register a CAGR of 7.70% from 2026 to 2031, supported by rising investment in AI data centers, public infrastructure, commercial redevelopment, digital project delivery, and climate-resilient construction.

AI Data-Center Investment Accelerates Consulting Demand

Rapid investment in generative-AI infrastructure is creating substantial opportunities across the United States construction consulting market. Hyperscaler capital expenditures reached USD 443 billion in 2025 and are budgeted at USD 602 billion for 2026 as technology companies expand computing capacity. Large developments, including the USD 50 billion Stargate complex, require specialized expertise in site selection, utility capacity, cooling optimization, risk management, and contractor coordination.

Data-center projects often involve more than 100 subcontractors at a single campus, increasing demand for consultants capable of managing complex schedules, cyber-physical risks, power requirements, and multi-year delivery frameworks. Data-center billings are forecast to outperform other commercial sub-sectors through 2027, making AI-linked construction one of the fastest-growing areas of the market.

Federal Infrastructure Spending Supports Long-Term Growth

Public investment continues to provide a stable pipeline for construction consulting services. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directs USD 350 billion toward highways, while the Department of Transportation budget totals USD 496 billion. These investments are sustaining consulting demand across roadway, bridge, transit, water, and other civil infrastructure programs.

Additional spending under the CHIPS and Science Act is expanding opportunities in semiconductor facilities, energy security, and LNG megaprojects. Consulting assignments increasingly include climate-resiliency assessments, EV-charging networks, regulatory compliance, and domestic sourcing documentation. Federal Emergency Management Agency Buy America Preference rules taking effect in 2026 are expected to add further compliance requirements, strengthening demand for regulatory and project advisory specialists.

Labor Shortages and Rising Costs Create Market Challenges

Skilled labor availability remains a significant constraint. In 2025, 92% of firms reported hiring difficulties, while average craft wages rose to USD 39.69 per hour, 8.9% above the private-sector average. Smaller consultancies may face margin pressure because they have less capital to invest in AI scheduling systems, digital collaboration platforms, and offshore drafting capabilities.

Larger firms are responding through technology investment and strategic talent acquisition. However, elevated labor costs are estimated to reduce the market's forecast CAGR by approximately 1.3 percentage points. Materials price volatility may also delay project starts and complicate cost planning. At the same time, rapid BIM and Digital-Twin adoption, ESG requirements, and decarbonization mandates are generating demand for higher-value advisory services.

Project Management Consultancy Maintains Market Leadership

Project Management Consultancy represented 39.5% of the United States construction consulting market in 2025, reflecting its essential role in cost management, scheduling, procurement, contractor oversight, and delivery control. Master Planning and other advisory services are forecast to expand at an 8.3% CAGR through 2031 as owners seek integrated support for feasibility, zoning, resiliency, and digital twin modeling.

Feasibility Studies and Detailed Project Reports remain important for public procurement, particularly for projects receiving federal funding. Design and Engineering Services continue to support physical delivery, although client demand is moving further upstream toward strategic planning and data-centric decision-making. Firms combining regulatory expertise with advanced digital capabilities are positioned to secure recurring, premium-value assignments.

Commercial Construction Poised for the Fastest Expansion

Infrastructure and Civil projects accounted for 38.65% of the market in 2025. The Commercial sector, however, is projected to record the strongest CAGR of 8.4% from 2026 to 2031, driven by data centers, life science facilities, mixed-use developments, and adaptive reuse projects. Data-center billings alone are expected to grow 26.3% in 2026, significantly outpacing other commercial categories.

Office conversions into laboratories, residential properties, and mixed-use facilities are supporting consulting backlogs even as speculative office construction slows. Residential activity in the Southeast continues to provide baseline demand, while semiconductor fabrication projects in the West reinforce industrial workloads. Although public transportation, water, energy, and social infrastructure programs remain substantial, private AI-centric developments typically generate greater consulting fee intensity per dollar of capital expenditure, positioning commercial construction as a central growth engine for the United States construction consulting market.

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition

1.2 Scope of the Study

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

4 Market Landscape

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.2.1 Federal infrastructure stimulus keeps public-works pipeline robust

4.2.2 Private-sector data-center boom tied to AI workloads

4.2.3 Rapid BIM + digital-twin adoption elevates demand for tech-savvy consultants

4.2.4 Rising ESG mandates drive need for decarbonisation and resiliency advisory

4.2.5 Under-served mid-market owners outsourcing owner-rep / PM services

4.2.6 "Buy-America" compliance complexity fuels specialty regulatory consulting

4.3 Market Restraints

4.3.1 Persistent skilled-consultant labour shortages inflate fees

4.3.2 Inflation-driven materials price volatility delays projects

4.3.3 Fragmented state & city permitting regimes prolong pre-construction timelines

4.3.4 Cyber-liability risk on digital platforms deters smaller firms

4.4 Government Initiatives & Consultant Empanelment Frameworks

4.5 Value / Supply-Chain Analysis

4.5.1 Overview

4.5.2 International Consulting Firms - Key Quantitative and Qualitative Insights

4.5.3 Domestic/Regional Consulting Firms - Key Quantitative and Qualitative Insights

4.5.4 Specialized Niche Consultants - Key Quantitative and Qualitative Insights

4.5.5 Technology Platform Providers (BIM, Digital PMC) - Key Quantitative and Qualitative Insights

4.6 Regulatory Landscape

4.7 Technological Outlook

4.8 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis

4.8.1 Threat of New Entrants

4.8.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.8.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.8.4 Threat of Substitutes

4.8.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

4.9 Comparison of Consulting Market Maturity: United States vs. Other Countries

5 Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Values, In USD Billion)

5.1 By Service Type

5.1.1 Project Management Consultancy (PMC)

5.1.2 Feasibility Studies

5.1.3 Detailed Project Reports (DPR)

5.1.4 Design and Engineering Services

5.1.5 Master Planning and Other Services

5.2 By Sector

5.2.1 Residential

5.2.2 Commercial

5.2.2.1 Office

5.2.2.2 Retail

5.2.2.3 Industrial and Logistics

5.2.2.4 Data Center

5.2.2.5 Others - Institutional, Hospitality etc.

5.2.3 Infrastructure/Civil

5.2.3.1 Transportation Infrastructure (Roadways, Railways, Airways, others)

5.2.3.2 Energy & Utilities

5.2.3.3 Social Infrastructure

5.2.3.4 Others

5.3 By Construction Type

5.3.1 New Construction

5.3.2 Renovation

5.4 By Investment Source

5.4.1 Public

5.4.2 Private

5.5 By Geography

5.5.1 Northeast (New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, etc.)

5.5.2 Midwest (Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, etc.)

5.5.3 Southeast (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, etc.)

5.5.4 West (California, Washington, Colorado, etc.)

5.5.5 Southwest (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, etc.)

6 Competitive Landscape

6.1 Market Concentration

6.2 Strategic Moves

6.3 Market Share Analysis

6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Products & Services, and Recent Developments)

6.4.1 AECOM

6.4.2 Jacobs

6.4.3 WSP USA

6.4.4 HDR Inc.

6.4.5 Bechtel

6.4.6 Fluor Corporation

6.4.7 Turner & Townsend (U.S.)

6.4.8 CBRE Heery

6.4.9 HNTB Corporation

6.4.10 Burns & McDonnell

6.4.11 Gensler (Program & Construction Mgmt)

6.4.12 Skanska USA Building - Consulting

6.4.13 Arcadis U.S.

6.4.14 STV Group

6.4.15 VHB

6.4.16 Kimley-Horn

6.4.17 Thornton Tomasetti

6.4.18 CHA Consulting

6.4.19 RS&H Inc.

6.4.20 TRC Companies

7 Market Opportunities & Future Outlook

7.1 White-Space & Unmet-Need Assessment

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/56dr7c

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