Leads a contractor's work before construction starts, shaping budgets, design choices and schedules so a project can be built for the price promised. BLS does not publish separate figures for construction managers; it counts them within construction manager (SOC 11-9021), whose median pay is $114,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-9021
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Preconstruction Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $114,990a year, or $55.28/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $70KTop 10% $189K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +9.1%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+9.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +9.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 49,700609,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025609.1K
- Projected 2035664.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 609.1K Projected 2035 664.3K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school5%
- High school15%
- Certificate15%
- Some college10%
- Associate's10%
- Bachelor's40%
Highest education held by construction managers Segment Value Less than high school 5% High school 15% Certificate 15% Some college 10% Associate's 10% Bachelor's 40%
Also advertised as: Director of Preconstruction, Preconstruction Director, Preconstruction Services Manager, Chief Estimator, Precon Manager.
Pay
How much do Construction Managers make?
Every preconstruction manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$114,990
Middle half earn $88,550 to $151,640
- 10th
- $69,690
- 25th
- $88,550
- 75th
- $151,640
- 90th
- $189,440
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $69,690 |
| 25th | $88,550 |
| Median | $114,990 |
| 75th | $151,640 |
| 90th | $189,440 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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 82% of the 1,741 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.
Pay by state
Which states pay Construction Managers the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $155,360 | $143,957 | 10,280 |
| 2Washington | $155,070 | $144,908 | 6,010 |
| 3Massachusetts | $145,010 | $137,116 | 9,870 |
| 4Alaska | $139,190 | $135,982 | 1,720 |
| 5New Jersey | $138,230 | $127,044 | 6,910 |
| 6California | $133,160 | $120,267 | 34,750 |
| 7Delaware | $132,150 | $132,404 | 610 |
| 8Oregon | $131,420 | $127,147 | 4,300 |
| 9New Hampshire | $129,260 | $124,092 | 660 |
| 10Hawaii | $128,910 | $117,243 | 2,890 |
Job outlook
Is Preconstruction Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +9.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Construction Managers | +9.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Construction Managers to change 9.1% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.6× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 55,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 49,700 openings are projected each year, 8.2% of the 609,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Preconstruction Manager
Most preconstruction managers hold a bachelor's degree in construction management, engineering or architecture and spend years as estimators or project engineers first. Strong estimating skill and a deep understanding of building systems are the foundation.
The American Society of Professional Estimators offers the Certified Professional Estimator credential, and AACE International offers cost engineering certifications. Familiarity with BIM models, estimating software and scheduling tools is now expected. People who move up tend to combine technical skill with comfort presenting to owners and design teams.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
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%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)15%
- Post-Secondary Certificate15%
- Some College Courses10%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 40% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 15% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 15% |
| Some College Courses | 10% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Preconstruction Manager do?
Preconstruction managers work for general contractors and construction managers during the months before ground is broken. As architects develop designs, they lead estimates at each stage, compare design options for cost and constructability, and suggest changes that keep the owner within budget.
They build early schedules and logistics plans, bring key subcontractors in for pricing and input, assess risks such as long material lead times, and help write the proposals and interviews that win new work. When a project moves into construction, they hand over a buyout plan, budget and schedule to the operations team. On negotiated and design-build projects, preconstruction is often where a contractor's value to the owner is decided.
Day-to-day tasks
- Lead cost estimates at each stage of design
- Evaluate design options for cost, schedule and constructability
- Develop preliminary schedules and site logistics plans
- Solicit pricing and input from key subcontractors
- Identify cost and supply chain risks early
- Prepare proposals and present at owner interviews
- Hand off budgets and buyout plans to project teams
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Preconstruction managers work mostly in offices, with meetings at architect and owner offices and occasional site visits. The work follows bid and design deadlines, which can mean late nights before a proposal is due. Travel depends on the contractor's geographic reach.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Writing3.8
- Mathematics3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Mathematics | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1
- Management of Personnel Resources4.1
- Coordination4.0
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Time Management4.0
- Negotiation3.9
- Systems Analysis3.6
- Management of Financial Resources3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.1 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 4.1 |
| Coordination | 4.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Time Management | 4.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.6 |
| Management of Financial Resources | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
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.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Preconstruction Manager?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ECI) built on O*NET's Construction Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Preconstruction Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising5.8
- Conventional5.0
- Realistic4.6
- Investigative3.7
- Social2.4
- Artistic1.7
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Preconstruction Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Architecture and Engineering
- Construction and Extraction
- Architecture and Engineering
Civil Engineering Technologist and Technician
$64,950median a year
Most earn $44K to $99K
+3.2%Associate's - Construction and Extraction
First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
$79,920median a year
Most earn $53K to $128K
+5.0%High school - Construction and Extraction
More management careers
Median annual pay, with construction managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Preconstruction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Preconstruction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Preconstruction Manager appears on
Questions
Preconstruction Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Construction Managers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for construction managers. It counts them within construction manager, whose median pay is $114,990 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $88,550 and $151,640, and the top 10% earn $189,440 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Preconstruction 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 Preconstruction Manager a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 9.1% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 49,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Preconstruction Manager do?
Preconstruction managers work for general contractors and construction managers during the months before ground is broken. A typical task: lead cost estimates at each stage of design. 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 Preconstruction 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 1,731 careers in the bank.