State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Construction Manager Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Construction Managers is $114,990 a year ($55.28/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 8.7% through 2034, with about 46,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 11-9021ManagementLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $114,990
- Projected growth
- +8.7%
- Openings a year
- 46,800
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Concrete Foreman, Construction Area Manager, Construction Foreman, Construction Management Supervisor, Construction Manager, Construction Services Manager.
How much do Construction Managers make?
10th percentile$69,690
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$88,550
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$114,990
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$151,640
Upper quartile
90th percentile$189,440
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $114,990 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $55.28/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $124,360 |
| People employed | 380,360 |
Versus all US occupations
At $114,990, Construction Managers earn 126% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $64,010 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 9% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $189,440 or more while the bottom 10% earn $69,690, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 86% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
New York posts the highest raw median ($155,360), but once local prices are taken into account Washington leads at $144,908 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Construction Managers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $155,360 | $143,957 | 10,280 |
| Washington | $155,070 | $144,908 | 6,010 |
| Massachusetts | $145,010 | $137,116 | 9,870 |
| Alaska | $139,190 | $135,982 | 1,720 |
| New Jersey | $138,230 | $127,044 | 6,910 |
| California | $133,160 | $120,267 | 34,750 |
| Delaware | $132,150 | $132,404 | 610 |
| Oregon | $131,420 | $127,147 | 4,300 |
| New Hampshire | $129,260 | $124,092 | 660 |
| Hawaii | $128,910 | $117,243 | 2,890 |
Is Construction Manager a growing career?
Construction Managers8.7%
All US occupations3.1%
+8.7% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Construction Managers to change 8.7% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.8× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 48,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 46,800 openings are projected each year, 8.5% of the 550,300 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
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.
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.
How to become a Construction Manager
Construction managers typically need a bachelor’s degree, and they learn management techniques through on-the-job training. Large construction firms may prefer to hire candidates who have both construction experience and a bachelor’s degree in a construction-related field. Firms might hire as managers those who have a high school diploma and many years of experience in a construction trade; however, these people may be more likely to work as self-employed general contractors than to be hired as construction managers.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as construction managers.
- Bachelor's Degree40.0%
- High School Diploma15.0%
- Post-Secondary Certificate15.0%
- Some College Courses10.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)10.0%
What does a Construction Manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems. Participate in the conceptual development of a construction project and oversee its organization, scheduling, budgeting, and implementation. Includes managers in specialized construction fields, such as carpentry or plumbing.
Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish.
Day-to-day tasks
- Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
- Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
- Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems.
- Study job specifications to determine appropriate construction methods.
- Plan, organize, or direct activities concerned with the construction or maintenance of structures, facilities, or systems.
- Apply for and obtain all necessary permits or licenses.
- Develop or implement quality control programs.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where construction managers work
| Self-employed workers | 36% |
|---|---|
| Specialty trade contractors | 17% |
| Nonresidential building construction | 16% |
| Residential building construction | 10% |
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | 8% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.9/5
- Monitoring3.9/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1/5
- Management of Personnel Resources4.1/5
- Coordination4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0/5
- Time Management4.0/5
- Negotiation3.9/5
- Systems Analysis3.6/5
- Management of Financial Resources3.6/5
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Construction Manager?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.7
Investigative3.2
Artistic1.7
Social2.4
Enterprisingprimary5.7
Conventionalprimary4.8
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Construction Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Construction Managers make?
Construction Managers earn a median of $114,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 126% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $55.28/hr. The middle half earn between $88,550 and $151,640. The top 10% earn $189,440 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Construction Manager?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Construction Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 40.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Construction Manager a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 8.7% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 46,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Construction Manager do?
Construction managers plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish. A core O*NET task: inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Construction Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Construction Managers are New York ($155,360), Washington ($155,070), Massachusetts ($145,010) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Washington moves to the top at $144,908.
What personality type suits a Construction Manager?
O*NET scores Construction Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.