Washington, D.C. — August 27, 2026 — Engineering firms are holding strong even as broader economic clouds gather. That's the headline finding of the ACEC Research Institute's Q3 2026 Engineering Business Sentiment Study, which captures the views of nearly 600 executive-level leaders across the U.S. engineering industry.

The study paints a picture of an industry operating from a position of genuine strength with healthy backlogs ensuring future work, persistent hiring demand, and high confidence in firm-level performance. But executives are also keeping a cautious eye on inflation, geopolitical tensions, and an uncertain macroeconomic environment.

The full Q3 2026 Engineering Business Sentiment Study is available here.

About the Study
The ACEC Research Institute's Engineering Business Sentiment Study is conducted quarterly to track the economic outlook, market conditions, and strategic priorities of executive-level leaders at engineering firms across the United States. The Q3 2026 study was conducted between July 28 and August 10, 2026, with 591 completed responses from member firm executives.

About the ACEC Research Institute
The ACEC Research Institute, the independent research arm of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), is the premier source of insight and foresight that empowers engineering firms to thrive, creating a resilient, secure, and technically advanced built environment.