U.S. infrastructure rated C as $3.7T funding gap and worker shortages threaten progress

United States, August 30, 2025

News Summary

A national assessment gives U.S. infrastructure an overall C, marking modest improvement but highlighting widespread weakness across transportation, energy, water and other systems. The review finds a roughly $3.7 trillion funding gap if current federal spending levels persist and flags large workforce shortfalls that could slow delivery and raise costs. While recent federal programs improved some categories, many remain in poor condition and will take years to benefit from new investments. Contractors face complex compliance, materials and technology requirements, and firms that invest in workforce development, procurement resilience and data-driven systems will be best positioned to compete.

U.S. Infrastructure Earns a C in 2025 Report Card; $3.7 Trillion Shortfall and Labor Gaps Put Pressure on Contractors

Overall picture: In March 2025 a national infrastructure assessment gave the United States an overall grade of C, up from a C‑ in 2021 and the highest composite grade since the first report issued in 1998. The assessment looked at 18 infrastructure categories and concluded the country faces strained systems, aging assets and limited investment. If federal funding remains at current levels, the study projects a national funding gap of $3.7 trillion through 2033.

Why this matters now

The assessment links underinvestment to direct household costs and broader economic losses. Estimates in the report suggest each household currently loses roughly $2,700 per year due to poor infrastructure; sustained flat federal funding could lower that annual loss to about $2,000. Separate projections indicate underinvestment could cost the average household as much as $3,300 per year by 2039 if needs are not addressed. The assessment emphasizes that recent federal laws have started to move the needle but that the full impact of new funding will take years to unfold.

How the grades break down

Evaluators measured current and future capacity, physical condition, funding levels and gaps, regulatory compliance, public safety, resilience and innovation. Results show a mixed picture: ports and rail fared best among major systems, while energy, aviation and many surface transportation and water systems remain weak.

• Top graded categories: Ports (B), Rail (B‑), Broadband (C+), Solid Waste (C+).
• C and C‑ categories: Bridges (C), Hazardous Waste (C), Inland Waterways (C‑), Drinking Water (C‑), Public Parks (C‑).
• Lower graded categories: Aviation (D+), Dams (D+), Energy (D+), Roads (D+), Schools (D+), Wastewater (D+), Stormwater (D), Transit (D).

Half of the 18 categories remain in the D range, described as fair to poor condition and mostly below standard, with many elements approaching the end of their service life. Compared with the previous cycle, eight categories improved, two declined (rail and energy), and seven remained unchanged.

Federal legislation and funding context

Recent laws provided unprecedented sums for infrastructure. One landmark bill allocated roughly $1.2 trillion in investments over five years, with more than $550 billion designated for brand‑new programs. A separate climate and energy law is the largest federal climate investment in U.S. history and has begun to support energy transition projects. Collectively, major laws passed by the prior Congress are expected to deliver over $1.2 trillion of infrastructure investment between 2021 and 2030, and more than $120 billion was invested between 2021 and 2023.

Despite this federal activity, state and local governments still provide most on‑the‑ground spending: state and local entities accounted for roughly 79% of transportation and water infrastructure spending in 2023. A recent state survey found that 33 states expect to miss at least some targets for roadway and bridge condition or maintenance funding over the next decade, and only 11 states are on track to meet both condition and maintenance targets.

Economic and security risks

Underinvestment undermines productivity, constrains movement of goods and people, raises safety risks and weakens competitiveness. Aging electrical grids, fragile water systems and constrained port and transit capacity also limit national security and the ability to scale data center and AI deployments.

Opportunities and challenges for contractors

The scale of need creates a major market opportunity for construction firms that can adapt. Industry forecasts call for large labor gains — roughly 439,000 net new construction workers in 2025 and 499,000 in 2026 — and warn that failing to meet workforce needs will push up costs and reduce feasible work.

To compete, contractors must master three broad areas:

• Compliance and contracting: Projects tied to federal funding increasingly require prevailing‑wage adherence, workforce development commitments and domestic material sourcing. Some defense and federal projects add cybersecurity and certification requirements. Firms need systems to track evolving regulations and access to legal and compliance expertise.
• Materials and procurement: Tariffs, supply chain disruptions and price volatility make robust procurement strategies essential. Contractors should build relationships across supply chains, secure domestic suppliers where required and adopt practices that mitigate materials risk.
• Technology and data: Data and enterprise systems are foundational. Evaluating and strengthening ERP and project management software helps with planning, profitability and compliance. With that foundation, firms can deploy AI, wearables, drones and robotics to boost productivity, improve safety and manage scarce resources.

Recommended workforce strategies include internship pipelines, apprenticeship and training programs, flexible benefits and employee ownership models to attract and retain talent.

State variation and weakest regions

State‑level competitiveness shows wide variation. A recent ranking identified ten states with the weakest infrastructure scores, with overall scores ranging from roughly 170 down to 119 on a 405‑point scale. Common problems in those states include high shares of roads in unacceptable condition, elevated bridge deficiencies, long average outage hours and limited affordable broadband coverage. Geographic isolation, severe weather risk and lack of commercial sites exacerbate the challenges in several of these states.

Notable projects and shifts

Federal funds and private investments are already supporting large projects, including industrial‑scale climate and carbon capture efforts in energy‑producing states. Some major energy and data center projects are prompting new local generation and transmission investments to meet demand and maintain grid reliability.

Bottom line

The 2025 grade reflects progress but also a long road ahead. Sustained, prioritized investment in resilient systems, smarter policies and adoption of innovation will be needed to close the funding gap and modernize a broad portfolio of public works. Firms that invest in people, processes, procurement and data‑driven technology are best positioned to capture growing project opportunities while helping to repair and upgrade critical national infrastructure.

FAQ

What overall grade did the 2025 infrastructure report give the U.S.?

The national assessment assigned an overall grade of C in 2025, an improvement over the prior report cycle.

How large is the estimated funding gap?

The assessment estimates a national funding gap of approximately $3.7 trillion from 2024 through 2033 if federal funding remains flat.

Which infrastructure categories are weakest?

Half of the evaluated categories fall in the D range. Energy, roads, transit, aviation, wastewater and several water and storm systems received D or D+ ratings.

What must contractors do to remain competitive?

Contractors should strengthen compliance programs, build resilient procurement strategies, invest in workforce development, and adopt enterprise systems and new technologies to improve productivity and safety.

How much has recent federal legislation contributed?

Recent federal laws represent the largest sustained federal investment packages in history, including roughly $1.2 trillion in infrastructure allocations over several years and the largest federal climate investment to date. Still, the full effects will unfold over many years and will not erase decades of deferred maintenance.

Key features at a glance

Feature	Summary	Key numbers
Overall grade	C, highest since 1998 but still showing major needs	C
Funding gap	Estimated shortfall if federal funding stays flat	$3.7 trillion (2024–2033)
Household cost	Current and projected annual loss per household	$2,700 now; could drop toward $2,000; up to $3,300 by 2039
Top and bottom categories	Best: Ports (B). Weakest: multiple D/D+ categories including energy and roads.	Ports B; Energy D+; Roads D+
Workforce need	Net new workers forecast to meet demand	439,000 (2025); 499,000 (2026)
Federal investment context	Large multi‑year federal packages have provided new funding but full impact takes years	$1.2 trillion package; $550B new programs
Recommended firm actions	Prioritize compliance, procurement resilience, data systems and technology adoption	ERP, AI, drones, workforce programs

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• New York Times: U.S. infrastructure and federal cuts (Mar 25, 2025)
• Wikipedia: Infrastructure of the United States
• CNN: U.S. infrastructure report card (Mar 25, 2025)
• Google Search: ASCE 2025 infrastructure report card
• Smart Cities Dive: ASCE US infrastructure report card
• Google Scholar: ASCE infrastructure report 2025
• Visual Capitalist: U.S. infrastructure investment
• Encyclopedia Britannica: infrastructure investment United States
• CNBC: Worst infrastructure — America’s top states for business (Jul 18, 2025)
• Google News: U.S. infrastructure 2025 report card