25
Companies Ranked
$2T+
US Construction Spending
8M+
Construction Workers (US)
80%+
Work Done by Subs
Why I Made This List
I am not a general contractor. I am a Salesforce developer who builds technology for construction companies. Specifically, I build the systems that power Mobilization Funding, a Tampa-based construction financing company that funds direct labor and materials for subcontractors. That relationship, through At Large and my company Cloud Nimbus LLC, has given me a front-row seat to how the construction industry actually works.
What I have learned is that the biggest companies on this list are general contractors — they manage projects, win bids, and coordinate work. But the actual construction is done by subcontractors: the electricians, plumbers, concrete crews, steel erectors, and drywall teams. These are the companies that Mobilization Funding serves, and they are the backbone of every project on this list.
That is why #25 on this list is not a general contractor. It is the company that makes sure the subcontractors can afford to keep showing up.
Bechtel
The Largest Private Construction Company on Earth
A privately held, family-owned engineering, construction, and project management company headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Bechtel has worked on some of the most iconic infrastructure projects in history — the Hoover Dam, the Channel Tunnel, the rebuild of Iraq's infrastructure, and dozens of nuclear power plants worldwide.
Bechtel operates at a scale that most people cannot comprehend. They have delivered projects in 160+ countries across every sector: energy, transportation, defense, mining, telecommunications, and water. When a government needs something built that has never been built before, Bechtel is on the shortlist. Their ability to mobilize tens of thousands of workers across continents while managing billions in project budgets is unmatched. Founded in 1898, still family-owned, still the gold standard.
Turner Construction
America's Premier Commercial Builder
A subsidiary of the German conglomerate HOCHTIEF (which is owned by Spain's ACS Group), Turner is the largest commercial builder in the United States. They build hospitals, stadiums, airports, data centers, corporate headquarters, and high-rise buildings in virtually every major US city.
Turner has topped the ENR rankings for commercial building more times than anyone can count. Their client list reads like a Fortune 500 directory — they have built headquarters and campuses for Apple, Google, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and dozens more. What sets Turner apart is consistency: project after project, decade after decade, they deliver on time and on budget at a scale that makes competitors look small. They are the safe bet, and in construction, the safe bet wins.
Fluor Corporation
Global Engineering & Construction Powerhouse
A publicly traded (NYSE: FLR) engineering and construction firm headquartered in Irving, Texas. Fluor designs, builds, and maintains complex industrial facilities — refineries, petrochemical plants, nuclear facilities, mining operations, and large-scale infrastructure worldwide.
Fluor tackles the projects that are too complex, too dangerous, or too remote for most contractors. When an oil company needs a refinery built in the Middle East, or a mining company needs processing facilities in the Australian outback, or the US government needs nuclear waste cleanup, Fluor gets the call. Their integrated engineering-and-construction model means they design what they build, eliminating the finger-pointing that plagues projects with separate design and build teams. Founded in 1912, publicly traded since 2000.
AECOM
Infrastructure Consulting Giant
A publicly traded (NYSE: ACM) infrastructure consulting firm headquartered in Dallas. AECOM provides planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design, construction management, and program management services for governments, transportation agencies, and private clients globally.
AECOM is the company behind the infrastructure you use every day but never think about — highways, bridges, water treatment plants, transit systems, airports, and military installations. They employ over 50,000 people in 150+ countries. After selling their construction services business to focus on consulting and design, they became a pure-play advisory firm that shapes how infrastructure gets planned and delivered worldwide. If you have driven on an interstate, flown through a major airport, or turned on a faucet today, AECOM probably touched it.
Kiewit Corporation
The Builder's Builder
A privately held, employee-owned construction and engineering company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. Kiewit builds transportation infrastructure (highways, bridges, tunnels), power plants, water treatment facilities, dams, and mining operations across North America and Australia.
Kiewit is employee-owned, which changes everything. Their people think and act like owners because they are owners. This culture produces some of the best project execution in the industry — Kiewit jobs are known for being well-run, well-organized, and profitable. Warren Buffett's father-in-law, Peter Kiewit, built this company into a powerhouse, and the employee-ownership structure has kept it strong through generations. They do not chase headlines. They chase excellence. That is why the best project managers and superintendents in America want to work here.
Skanska USA
Scandinavian Precision Meets American Scale
The US subsidiary of Sweden's Skanska AB, one of the largest construction companies in the world. Skanska USA builds commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, transportation infrastructure, and water/wastewater projects across the United States. Also active in commercial real estate development.
Skanska brings Scandinavian engineering discipline to American construction at massive scale. Their sustainability commitments are not greenwashing — they were one of the first major contractors to set science-based carbon reduction targets and actually hit them. Their dual business model of construction and commercial development means they build for themselves, too, which keeps their quality standards brutally high. When Skanska develops a building, they know the construction team will be graded by the development team that has to lease it.
Hensel Phelps
Employee-Owned Excellence
An employee-owned general contractor and construction manager headquartered in Greeley, Colorado. Hensel Phelps builds federal facilities, airports, healthcare centers, higher education buildings, and commercial projects across the United States.
Hensel Phelps is the gold standard for employee-owned construction companies. Their promote-from-within culture means leadership has been on jobsites, poured concrete, and managed schedules firsthand. They are one of the largest builders of federal and military projects in the country, trusted by the DoD, VA, and GSA with billions in sensitive construction. Their preconstruction teams are among the best in the industry — they find the problems before the first shovel hits the ground, which is why their projects finish on budget.
DPR Construction
Tech-Forward, People-First Builder
A privately held, employee-owned commercial contractor headquartered in Redwood City, California. DPR specializes in technically complex buildings — data centers, advanced technology facilities, healthcare, biopharma, and higher education projects.
DPR was founded in 1990 by three industry veterans who wanted to build a construction company that operated more like a tech company. They were early adopters of BIM, virtual design and construction (VDC), and lean construction methods. Their flat organizational structure and entrepreneurial culture attract some of the most talented builders in the industry. When Silicon Valley companies need a data center, cleanroom, or R&D facility built to exacting tolerances, DPR is the first call.
Whiting-Turner Contracting
Mid-Atlantic Powerhouse Gone National
A privately held general contractor headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Whiting-Turner builds commercial, institutional, and industrial projects across the country — offices, retail, healthcare, education, entertainment venues, and industrial facilities.
Whiting-Turner has grown from a Baltimore-based regional contractor into a national force through sheer execution quality. They operate with lean overhead and empower local offices to run like independent businesses, which gives them the responsiveness of a small firm with the resources of a large one. Their client retention rate is extraordinary — once you build with Whiting-Turner, you tend to keep building with them. Founded in 1909, still private, still growing.
Clark Construction
Washington DC's Builder
A privately held general contractor headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Clark builds landmark projects primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and across major US cities — stadiums, airports, museums, federal buildings, transit systems, and mixed-use developments.
Clark Construction has built more Washington DC landmarks than almost any other contractor — the Capitol Visitor Center, Nationals Park, portions of the Metro system, and countless federal buildings. Their ability to deliver architecturally significant, politically sensitive projects on time in one of the most complex regulatory environments in the country is remarkable. When the project has to be perfect and the client is the federal government, Clark is on the shortlist.
Walsh Group
Family-Owned, Chicago-Tough
A privately held, family-owned construction company headquartered in Chicago. Walsh builds heavy civil infrastructure — highways, bridges, water treatment plants, transit systems, and airports — as well as commercial buildings across North America.
Walsh is the largest family-owned contractor in the country, and their Chicago roots show in everything they do — tough, direct, and relentlessly hardworking. Their heavy civil and water infrastructure work is some of the best in the industry. They built Chicago's Deep Tunnel project, one of the most ambitious civil engineering projects in American history. Three generations of the Walsh family have run this company, and each generation has grown it while maintaining the culture that made it great.
Mortenson
Renewable Energy Construction Leader
A privately held, family-owned construction and real estate development company headquartered in Minneapolis. Mortenson builds wind farms, solar facilities, sports venues, healthcare facilities, and commercial projects across the United States.
Mortenson has built more wind energy projects than any other contractor in North America. While other construction companies were slow to embrace renewables, Mortenson went all-in on wind and solar, building the expertise, logistics networks, and supply chain relationships that now give them a massive competitive advantage. They have also built some of the most iconic sports venues in America, including US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Their combination of renewable energy expertise and traditional commercial construction makes them uniquely positioned for the energy transition.
Brasfield & Gorrie
The Southeast's Finest
A privately held general contractor headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Brasfield & Gorrie builds commercial, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, and government projects primarily across the southeastern United States.
Brasfield & Gorrie has quietly become one of the most respected contractors in the country by dominating the fastest-growing construction market in America — the Southeast. While national firms parachute into Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, and Miami, Brasfield & Gorrie has deep local relationships, decades of regional knowledge, and a reputation that precedes them. Their healthcare construction practice is world-class, and their client satisfaction scores consistently rank among the highest in the industry.
McCarthy Building Companies
100% Employee-Owned Since 2002
A 100% employee-owned commercial construction company headquartered in St. Louis. McCarthy builds healthcare facilities, science and technology buildings, education campuses, commercial offices, and renewable energy projects across the United States.
McCarthy transitioned to 100% employee ownership in 2002, and the results have been remarkable. Employee-owners build better because they have skin in the game — every quality decision, every safety decision, every schedule decision affects their own net worth. Their healthcare construction practice is among the best in the country, and their solar construction division has grown dramatically. Founded in 1864, they are one of the oldest continuously operating construction companies in America.
Holder Construction
Atlanta's Master Builder
A privately held construction company headquartered in Atlanta. Holder builds commercial offices, data centers, healthcare facilities, and mixed-use developments primarily in the southeastern United States and major US markets.
Holder built much of modern Atlanta — from corporate headquarters to the venues that hosted the 1996 Olympics. Their data center construction practice has grown enormously as hyperscale cloud providers have expanded across the Southeast. What sets Holder apart is their preconstruction intelligence — they invest heavily in understanding a project before breaking ground, which leads to fewer surprises and better outcomes. In a region experiencing explosive growth, Holder is the contractor that developers trust.
Balfour Beatty US
British Heritage, American Execution
The US division of Balfour Beatty plc, a London-based international infrastructure group. Balfour Beatty US builds highways, bridges, rail, airports, military facilities, and commercial buildings across the United States. Also active in infrastructure investment.
Balfour Beatty brings over a century of British engineering tradition to American infrastructure construction. Their military construction portfolio is enormous — they are one of the largest builders of DoD facilities in the country. Their unique investment arm means they sometimes build, finance, and operate infrastructure assets, giving them a perspective on long-term quality that pure contractors lack. When a highway, bridge, or military base needs to last 50 years, Balfour Beatty builds it like they will own it — because sometimes they do.
Gilbane Building Company
Seven Generations of Building Excellence
A privately held, family-owned construction and real estate development company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. Gilbane builds healthcare, education, corporate, government, and mission-critical facilities across the United States.
Gilbane has been family-owned for seven generations — since 1870. That kind of continuity is almost unheard of in any industry, let alone construction. Their longevity is not an accident — it comes from a culture of conservative financial management, deep client relationships, and a willingness to adapt. Their construction management expertise is particularly strong in healthcare and education, where understanding the client's operational needs is as important as understanding how to pour concrete. Seven generations and still growing.
Structure Tone
Interior Construction Specialists
A privately held construction management firm headquartered in New York City. Structure Tone specializes in interior construction, renovations, and fit-outs for commercial, financial, technology, healthcare, and retail clients in major urban markets.
Structure Tone dominates a niche that most people do not think about: building the insides of buildings. When a bank needs a new trading floor, a tech company needs a new office fit-out, or a hospital needs a wing renovated while patients occupy the floor above, Structure Tone is the call. Interior construction in occupied buildings is one of the most logistically complex types of construction — you are building while the client operates around you. Structure Tone has mastered this discipline in the most demanding real estate market on earth: Manhattan.
Suffolk Construction
Boston's Builder, Going National
A privately held general contractor headquartered in Boston. Suffolk builds commercial, healthcare, education, and life sciences projects primarily in the Northeast, Southeast, and West Coast markets.
Suffolk has invested more heavily in construction technology than almost any other contractor. Their proprietary platform combines project management, predictive analytics, and AI-assisted scheduling to deliver projects more efficiently. They are not just using technology — they are building it. Founded in 1982, they have grown from a Boston-based builder to a national firm by combining technological sophistication with old-school construction execution. Their life sciences construction practice has boomed as biotech companies expand.
JE Dunn Construction
Kansas City's Quiet Giant
A privately held, employee-owned construction company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. JE Dunn builds commercial, healthcare, education, data center, and government projects across the United States.
JE Dunn is one of those companies that industry insiders respect enormously but the general public has never heard of. Employee-owned and Midwest-based, they combine the work ethic and straightforward communication style of Kansas City with the technical capabilities of a national firm. Their data center construction practice has grown significantly, and their healthcare work is consistently excellent. They do not spend money on marketing or flashy offices — they spend it on people, training, and project execution.
Hunt Construction
Stadium & Aviation Specialist
A diversified, family-owned company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hunt's construction group builds stadiums, arenas, airports, convention centers, hospitality, and commercial projects across the United States.
Hunt has built some of the most iconic sports venues in America — the University of Phoenix Stadium (now State Farm Stadium), Chase Field, and numerous other arenas and convention centers. Their specialization in large assembly and aviation projects gives them unique expertise in buildings where tens of thousands of people gather. The logistics of building a stadium while coordinating with sports leagues, broadcast networks, team operations, and municipal governments requires a level of stakeholder management that few contractors can match.
Webcor
San Francisco's Innovation Builder
A privately held general contractor headquartered in San Francisco. Webcor builds commercial offices, mixed-use developments, healthcare, education, and technology campus projects primarily in California.
Webcor has been building San Francisco and Silicon Valley for decades. Their portfolio includes some of the most technically challenging projects in one of the most expensive and complex construction markets in the world. They were early adopters of BIM and virtual construction, and their workforce development programs address the skilled labor shortage that plagues the California market. Building in San Francisco — with its seismic requirements, dense urban environment, and complex regulatory landscape — is a PhD-level challenge, and Webcor holds that degree.
PCL Construction
Canada's Largest, America's Contender
An employee-owned group of construction companies headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. PCL is the largest contractor in Canada and operates major divisions across the United States. They build commercial, industrial, heavy civil, and infrastructure projects throughout North America.
PCL is employee-owned and has been since 1977, making it one of the oldest and largest employee-owned construction companies in North America. Their cross-border operations give them a unique advantage — they can deploy resources and expertise between the US and Canadian markets based on where demand is strongest. Their industrial and heavy civil capabilities are world-class, honed by decades of building in Canada's demanding climate and terrain. PCL proves that the employee-ownership model works at scale in construction.
Granite Construction
Heavy Civil Infrastructure Specialist
A publicly traded (NYSE: GVA) heavy civil contractor headquartered in Watsonville, California. Granite builds highways, bridges, tunnels, dams, airports, and other heavy infrastructure projects across the United States. Also a major producer of construction aggregates and asphalt.
Granite is vertically integrated in a way that few contractors can match — they own quarries, asphalt plants, and materials operations that feed directly into their construction projects. This integration gives them cost advantages and supply chain control that competitors who buy materials on the open market simply cannot replicate. Their heavy civil work on highways and bridges is some of the best in the western United States. When you drive on a California highway, there is a good chance Granite built it and supplied the materials underneath it.
Mobilization Funding
The Company That Finances the Builders
A Tampa-based construction financing company that funds direct labor and materials for subcontractors and manufacturers. Mobilization Funding solves the cash flow problem that cripples construction companies of all sizes — you win the job, you start the work, but you do not get paid for 60 to 90 days. They bridge that gap so contractors can keep building.
Here is the truth about construction: the 24 companies above are general contractors. They win the mega-projects, but the actual work — the concrete, the steel, the electrical, the plumbing, the drywall — is done by subcontractors. And subcontractors live and die by cash flow. Mobilization Funding understands this because they live inside the construction payment cycle every single day. They are not a bank that dabbles in construction lending. They are a construction company that provides financing. That difference matters. I know because I build their Salesforce systems.
Glen's Pick: Mobilization Funding is my Salesforce development client through Cloud Nimbus LLC, referred by Danny Watts at At Large. I build the technology that powers their lending operations. This is not a general contractor — it is the company that keeps the general contractors' subcontractors funded, staffed, and building. Without companies like Mobilization Funding, every project on this list would move slower. Construction financing is the invisible infrastructure behind the visible infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest construction company in the United States?
By revenue and global project volume, Bechtel is the largest privately held construction and engineering company in the United States. For commercial building specifically, Turner Construction has topped the ENR rankings more than any other firm. The answer depends on how you measure — revenue, project count, employees, or specific market sector.
What is the difference between a general contractor and a subcontractor?
A general contractor (GC) wins the overall project contract and manages the entire construction process — scheduling, coordination, client communication, and compliance. Subcontractors are the specialized trade companies (electricians, plumbers, concrete workers, steel erectors) that the GC hires to do the actual physical work. On most large projects, 80-90% of the labor is performed by subcontractors, not by the general contractor's own workforce.
Why do construction companies struggle with cash flow?
Construction has one of the worst payment cycles of any industry. Subcontractors perform work, submit invoices, and then wait 60 to 90 days (sometimes longer) to get paid. Meanwhile, they have to cover payroll, materials, equipment, and insurance out of pocket. This gap between performing work and receiving payment is why construction companies fail at a higher rate than almost any other industry — and why construction financing companies like Mobilization Funding exist.
Are most large construction companies publicly traded or privately held?
Most of the largest construction companies in America are privately held — Bechtel, Kiewit, Hensel Phelps, DPR, Whiting-Turner, Clark, Walsh, and many others. Some of the biggest are employee-owned (Kiewit, Hensel Phelps, McCarthy, PCL, JE Dunn). Only a handful are publicly traded, including Fluor (FLR), AECOM (ACM), and Granite Construction (GVA). The capital-intensive, project-based nature of construction tends to favor private ownership structures that can take a long-term view.
How does construction financing work for subcontractors?
Construction financing for subcontractors bridges the gap between when work is performed and when payment is received. Companies like Mobilization Funding advance funds against contracted work — typically funding direct labor costs and materials purchases — so that subcontractors can keep their crews on the jobsite and materials flowing without waiting 60-90 days for the general contractor's payment cycle. It is not a traditional bank loan — it is funding tied directly to project execution and payment schedules.
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