Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors
NAICS Code: 238220
BLS projects Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors to grow +4.8% through 2034 - 2.4 points faster than the 2.4% average across 291 U.S. industries, faster-growing than 73% of them. Its trajectory is close to the typical U.S. industry.
Where Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors sits among all industries
Projected 2024-2034 growth across 291 U.S. industries (BLS). This industry is marked in rose.
Where Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors sits by projected growth
Projected employment change across tracked industries
4.8% Top 27% higher than 73% of 291 industries
Industries, banded by projected growth
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more industries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BLS Employment Projections · 2026-05-15
Steady-state read
Signature: 31.7% mean employer AI exposure across 17 tracked public companies .
Projected growth is middling and the public-company overlay is sparse - the BLS employment path is the primary evidence; company grades are a light secondary read.
NAICS 238220 · 1,298,300 workers (2024, ×1k) · source BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034. Employer AI grades are occupation-weighted scores from our SEC cohort, not automation predictions for every establishment in Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors.
Public companies near this industry
SEC industry labels matching tokens from Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors. 17 companies scored · mean AI exposure 31.7%.
| Company | AI grade |
|---|---|
| Argan Inc | A |
| Brookfield Business Corp | A |
| Brookfield Business Partners L.P. | A |
| Construction Partners, Inc. | A |
| Ferrovial SE | A |
| Fluor Corp | A |
| Geo Group Inc | A |
| Granite Construction Inc | A |
Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure from our employer corpus - not a claim that every establishment in Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors shares the same risk. Source: SEC company metadata + O*NET-weighted scores · as of 2026-05-15.
Peer Industries by Employment
How Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors (NAICS 238220) compares to industries of similar size, ordered by 2024 BLS employment.
| Industry | 2024 | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors | 1,298,300 | +4.8% |
| Automobile dealers | 1,287,300 | +2.7% |
| Building material and supplies dealers | 1,212,100 | +2.0% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; private | 1,199,400 | -0.4% |
| Legal services | 1,192,700 | +1.2% |
| Engineering services | 1,179,600 | +4.2% |
Peers are selected by similarity in 2024 employment. Figures in thousands. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people work in Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors?
As of 2024, the Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors industry employs approximately 1,298,300 workers in the United States, according to BLS Employment Projections data.
Is Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors growing or declining?
The Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors industry is projected to grow by 4.8% from 2024 to 2034, a net change of +63,000 jobs over the decade.
Which public companies sit near Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors?
17 tracked public companies whose SEC industry label matches Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors. Sample names include Argan Inc, Brookfield Business Corp, Brookfield Business Partners L.P.. Grades are occupation-weighted AI exposure scores, not company-specific automation forecasts.
How will AI affect the Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors industry?
Among 17 tracked public companies tied to this industry's sector, the mean occupation-weighted AI exposure score is 31.7% (most common grade A). That is a staffing-pattern signal from our employer corpus, not a forecast for every firm in Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors. Pair it with occupation-level AI exposure scores for role-specific risk.
Where to look next
What to do with this
Use Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors' employment and exposure numbers above to look up individual employers and occupations, not just the industry aggregate.
- See how public employers in this and other industries rank nationwide by AI displacement risk. Employer AI risk rankings
- Browse individual occupations to see exposure and wage detail below the industry level. Browse all occupations
- Compare this industry's outlook against a specific occupation or employer using the interactive tool. Workforce comparison tool
Industry-level figures are aggregates; individual employer and occupation outcomes vary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024-2034; SEC employer metadata for AI grades Employment figures in thousands. Employer grades are occupation-weighted exposure scores, not firm automation forecasts