Management
Construction manager
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.
Median pay
$114,990
Growth to 2035
+9%
faster than average
Openings a year
49,700
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Construction manager
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Construction manager: 74% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
- Develop or implement quality control programs.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
- Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
- Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
- Determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites.
- Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems.
- Prepare contracts or negotiate revisions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers, or subcontractors.
Also called: Concrete Foreman · Construction Area Manager · Construction Foreman · Construction Management Supervisor · Construction Manager · Construction Services Manager · Construction Superintendent · General Superintendent
Outlook and AI
Construction managers held 609,100 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 664,300 by 2035 (+9%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Demand change - share increases as technical and process improvements increase the need for construction managers to track costs, materials, and schedules.
Compare with
- Construction manager vs. Civil engineer
- Construction manager vs. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers
- Construction manager vs. Civil engineering technologists and technicians
- Construction manager vs. Construction and building inspectors
- Construction manager vs. Architects, except landscape and naval
- Construction manager vs. Industrial engineer
- Construction manager vs. Architectural and engineering managers
- Construction manager vs. Project manager
- Construction manager vs. Facilities manager