Construction Managers
Career, Salary and Education Information
What They Do: Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.
Work Environment: Many construction managers have a main office, but spend most of their time working out of a field office at a construction site, where they monitor the project and make daily decisions about construction activities. The need to meet deadlines and respond to emergencies often requires construction managers to work many hours.
How to Become One: Construction managers typically must have a bachelor’s degree, and learn management techniques through on-the-job training. Large construction firms increasingly prefer candidates with both construction experience and a bachelor’s degree in a construction-related field.
Salary: The median annual wage for construction managers is $98,890.
Job Outlook: Employment of construction managers is projected to grow 8 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.
Related Careers: Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of construction managers with similar occupations.
Following is everything you need to know about a career as a construction manager with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:
Top 3 Construction Manager Jobs
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Construction Manager
- AmeriCold Logistics
- Atlanta, GA
The Construction Manager will work with operations, engineering and project sponsors to define the project's scope/objectives and oversee quality control throughout the project life cycle. The ...
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Construction Project Manager
- VCI
- Riviera Beach, FL
VCI is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business providing project management , construction management , and engineering services to public and private clients world-wide. We offer competitive ...
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Owner's Representative / Construction Project Manager
- CPM Texas
- Austin, TX
CPM Texas (CPM) is an Austin, Texas based industry leader specializing in a full range of development and construction project management services for projects of all types and scale. CPM provides ...
What Construction Managers Do[About this section] [To Top]
Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.
Duties of Construction Managers
Construction managers typically do the following:
- Prepare cost estimates, budgets, and work timetables
- Interpret and explain contracts and technical information to other professionals
- Report work progress and budget matters to clients
- Collaborate with architects, engineers, and other construction specialists
- Select subcontractors and schedule and coordinate their activities
- Respond to work delays, emergencies, and other problems
- Comply with legal requirements, building and safety codes, and other regulations
Construction managers, often called general contractors or project managers, coordinate and supervise a wide variety of projects, including the building of all types of public, residential, commercial, and industrial structures, as well as roads, memorials, and bridges. Either a general contractor or a construction manager oversees the construction phase of a project, but a construction manager may also consult with the client during the design phase to help refine construction plans and control costs.
Construction managers oversee specialized contractors and other personnel. They schedule and coordinate all construction processes so that projects meet design specifications. They ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. Some construction managers may be responsible for several projects at once—for example, the construction of multiple apartment buildings.
Construction managers work closely with other building specialists, such as architects, civil engineers, and a variety of trade workers, including stonemasons, electricians, and carpenters. Projects may require specialists in everything from structural steel and painting to landscaping, paving roads, and excavating sites. Depending on the project, construction managers may interact with lawyers and local government officials. For example, when working on city-owned property or municipal buildings, construction managers sometimes confer with city inspectors to ensure that all regulations are met.
For projects too large to be managed by one person, such as office buildings and industrial complexes, a top-level construction manager hires other construction managers to be in charge of different aspects of the project. For example, each construction manager would oversee a specific phase of the project, such as structural foundation, plumbing, or electrical work, and choose subcontractors to complete it. The top-level construction manager would then collaborate and coordinate with the other construction managers.
To maximize efficiency and productivity, construction managers often perform the tasks of a cost estimator. They use specialized cost-estimating and planning software to show how to allocate time and money in order to complete their projects. Many construction managers also use software to plan the best way to get materials to the building site.
Work Environment for Construction Managers[About this section] [To Top]
Construction managers hold about 478,500 jobs. The largest employers of construction managers are as follows:
| Self-employed workers | 40% |
| Specialty trade contractors | 16% |
| Nonresidential building construction | 15% |
| Residential building construction | 10% |
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | 7% |
Construction managers may have a main office but spend most of their time in a field office onsite, where they monitor projects and make decisions about construction activities. Those who manage multiple projects must visit the different worksites, which may require travelling out of state or being away from home for extended periods.
Construction Manager Work Schedules
Most construction managers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Construction managers' work schedules may vary. They may need to work extra hours to meet deadlines, and they may have to be on call 24 hours a day to respond to project emergencies.
How to Become a Construction Manager[About this section] [To Top]
Get the education you need: Find schools for Construction Managers near you!
Construction managers typically must have a bachelor's degree, and learn management techniques through on-the-job training. Large construction firms increasingly prefer candidates with both construction experience and a bachelor's degree in a construction-related field. Although some individuals with a high school diploma and many years of experience in a construction trade may be hired as construction managers, these individuals are typically qualified to become self-employed general contractors.
Education for Construction Managers
Although there are various ways to enter this occupation, it is becoming increasingly important for construction managers to have a bachelor's degree in construction science, construction management, architecture, or engineering. As construction processes become more complex, employers are placing greater importance on specialized education.
More than 100 colleges and universities offer accredited bachelor's degree programs in construction science, building science, or construction engineering. These programs include courses in project control and management, design, construction methods and materials, cost estimation, building codes and standards, and contract administration. Courses in mathematics and statistics are also relevant.
More than fifty 2-year colleges offer construction management or construction technology programs. An associate's degree combined with work experience is typical for managers who supervise smaller projects.
A few universities offer master's degree programs in construction management.
Jobseekers with a high school diploma and several years of relevant work experience may qualify to become a construction manager, although most are qualified to become self-employed general contractors.
Construction Manager Training
New construction managers are typically hired as assistants and work under the guidance of an experienced manager. This training period may last several months to several years, depending on the firm.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation for Construction Managers
If the typical education is not obtained, practical construction experience is important for jobseekers, because it reduces the need for initial on-the-job training. Internships, cooperative education programs, and previous work in the construction industry can provide that experience. Some construction managers become qualified solely through extensive construction experience, spending many years in carpentry, masonry, or other construction specialties.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Construction Managers
Although not required, certification is valuable because it can demonstrate that a person has gained knowledge and experience.
The Construction Management Association of America awards the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) designation to workers who have the required experience and who pass a technical exam. It is recommended that applicants for this certification complete a self-study course that covers the professional role of a construction manager, legal issues, the allocation of risk, and other topics related to construction management.
The American Institute of Constructors awards the Associate Constructor (AC) and Certified Professional Constructor (CPC) designations to candidates who meet its requirements and pass the appropriate construction exams.
Some states require licensure for construction managers. For more information, contact your state licensing board.
Important Qualities for Construction Managers
Analytical skills. Construction managers plan project strategies, handle unexpected issues and delays, and solve problems that arise over the course of the project. In addition, many managers use cost-estimating and planning software to determine costs and the materials and time required to complete projects.
Business skills. Construction managers address budget matters and coordinate and supervise workers. Choosing competent staff and establishing good working relationships with them is critical.
Customer-service skills. Construction managers are in constant contact with owners, inspectors, and the public. They must form good working relationships with these people and ensure their needs are met.
Decisionmaking skills. Construction managers choose personnel and subcontractors for specific tasks and jobs. Often, these choices must be made quickly to meet deadlines and budgets.
Initiative. Self-employed construction managers generate their own business opportunities and must be proactive in finding new clients. They often market their services and bid on jobs, and they must also learn to perform special home improvement projects, such as installing mosaic glass tiles, sanding wood floors, and insulating homes.
Leadership skills. Construction managers must effectively delegate tasks to construction workers, subcontractors, and other lower level managers.
Speaking skills. Construction managers must give clear orders, explain complex information to construction workers and clients, and discuss technical details with other building specialists, such as architects. Self-employed construction managers must get their own projects, so the need to sell their services to potential clients is critical.
Technical skills. Construction managers must know construction methods and technologies, and must be able to interpret contracts and technical drawings.
Time-management skills. Construction managers must meet deadlines. They ensure that construction phases are completed on time so that the next phase can begin as scheduled. For instance, a building's foundation cannot be constructed until the land is completely excavated.
Writing skills. Construction managers must write proposals, plans, and budgets, as well as document the progress of the work for clients and others involved in the building process.
Construction Manager Salaries[About this section] [More salary/earnings info] [To Top]
Salary Calculator
Entry Level Experienced
The median annual wage for construction managers is $98,890. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $60,050, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $163,800.
The median annual wages for construction managers in the top industries in which they work are as follows:
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | $100,310 |
| Nonresidential building construction | $100,260 |
| Specialty trade contractors | $96,600 |
| Residential building construction | $84,810 |
In addition to salary, construction managers may also earn bonuses. Their earnings are highly dependent on the amount of business they generate.
Most construction managers work full time. However, the need to meet deadlines and to respond to delays and emergencies often requires construction managers to work many additional hours. Many construction managers may also be on call 24 hours a day. Some construction managers work more than 40 hours per week.
Job Outlook for Construction Managers[About this section] [To Top]
Employment of construction managers is projected to grow 8 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 41,500 openings for construction managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
See all construction jobs.
Employment of Construction Managers
Construction managers are expected to be needed as overall construction activity expands. Over the projections decade, population and business growth will result in the construction of new residences, office buildings, retail outlets, hospitals, schools, restaurants, and other structures. Also, the need to improve portions of the national infrastructure may spur employment growth as roads, bridges, and sewer pipe systems are upgraded or replaced.
In addition, a continuing emphasis on retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient should create jobs for general contractors, who are more likely to manage the renovation and upgrading of buildings than to oversee new large-scale construction projects.
Construction processes and building technology are becoming more complex, requiring greater oversight and spurring demand for specialized management personnel even as technology makes construction managers more productive.
| Occupational Title | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | |||
| Construction managers | 478,500 | 514,900 | 8 | 36,400 |
More Construction Manager Information[About this section] [To Top]
For more information about construction manager certification, visit
American Institute of Constructors
For more information about construction management and construction manager certification, visit
Construction Management Association of America
For more information on accredited construction science and management educational programs, visit
A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.