Why Oklahoma’s Construction Model Is Failing Its Workers and Its Future

The Price of Progress: Why Oklahoma’s Construction Model Is Failing Its Workers and Its Future

For thirty years, Oklahoma’s construction industry has been running harder just to stay in place. Wages doubled. Costs tripled. Productivity barely moved. And even when we “win” a low bid, we lose somewhere else — in quality, in margin, or in people.

This isn’t a new problem. It’s a compounding one. The data from 1993–2025 shows how we got here — and what has to change if we actually want to build better.

1. The Wage Myth: The Paychecks Look Bigger, But the Math Doesn’t

In 1995, the average Oklahoma tradesperson earned about $22,500 a year. Today, that number’s closer to $60,000. On paper, that’s progress. But when you stack it against inflation and the cost of living, it now takes two trade incomes to make a middle-class household in Oklahoma.

2. The Cost Spiral: Three Times the Price, Same Productivity

The Producer Price Index for construction materials in Oklahoma has tripled since 1993. By mid-2025, material costs are up nearly 200% from the 1990s baseline. We are paying three times as much to build the same buildings without triple the quality to show for it.

3. The Labor Crunch: A Workforce on the Edge

By 2025, 92% of Oklahoma contractors report they can’t fill open positions. Skilled labor has become a scarce commodity, and the U.S. needs over 650,000 new tradespeople just to meet current demand.

4. The Project Reality: We Keep Missing the Target

The industry pattern is clear: 70% of projects go over budget, 75% miss schedule, and 30% end in disputes. When a system misses that often, it’s not bad luck — it’s bad design.

5. The Procurement Problem: Low Bid Builds Low Trust

Oklahoma’s public sector has been trapped in a low-bid loop where the lowest price wins, even if it costs more in the end. However, a pivot is happening. Since 2017, Oklahoma law has allowed Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) and Design-Build methods for more projects. Collaboration beats combat every time.

The Path Forward

If Oklahoma wants to lead the next generation of infrastructure, we must:

• Adopt Technology: Bridge the 35% jobsite time loss with BIM and digital platforms.

• Workforce Strategy: Create an aggressive pipeline through apprenticeships and paid training.

• Procurement Reform: Move toward CMAR and Progressive Design-Build to reward qualifications over low bids.

Closing Thought: Low bid doesn’t build legacy. It builds liability.