SOC 11-9021.00Bright outlook

    Construction Managers

    Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems.

    Median pay
    $114,990
    Growth
    +9.1%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    49,700
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $69,690
    Median
    $114,990
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $189,440
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    380,360 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Construction managers plan, schedule, and oversee building and maintenance projects from start to finish. This career offers a median annual pay of $114,990, with opportunities across various specialized construction fields.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What construction managers do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    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.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Construction managers coordinate building projects, ensuring structures and facilities are completed safely, on time, and within budget. Their daily activities center on organizing, planning, and prioritizing work, scheduling tasks, and making critical decisions to solve problems. They spend significant time communicating with supervisors, peers, and subordinates, as well as coordinating the activities of various work crews. To ensure quality, these managers inspect equipment, structures, and materials, and they evaluate information to confirm compliance with safety and building standards.

    Succeeding in this role requires strong enterprising interests and a leadership-oriented work style. Managers must utilize skills in personnel management, time management, negotiation, and complex problem solving. They rely on a deep knowledge of building and construction, administration, mathematics, engineering, and public safety. Because the job involves managing budgets and diverse teams, dependability, attention to detail, stress tolerance, and integrity are essential traits for handling daily project challenges.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires a bachelor's degree along with several years of related work experience. Students preparing for this career often major in construction management, construction engineering technology, business administration, public administration, or general management.

    While a degree is the standard entry point, professional credentials can help candidates stand out. Available certifications include the Certified Construction Manager, Certified Construction Quality Manager, Certified Healthcare Constructor, Commercial Mechanical Inspector, Construction Foreman, and Construction Workforce Development Professional. Additionally, some states list licensing requirements for individuals performing this work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for construction managers is $114,990. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and location, with the lowest 10 percent of workers earning less than $69,690 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $189,440.

    With 380,360 people currently employed in this field, the occupation is projected to grow by 9.1 percent from 2025 to 2035, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. This growth and normal staff turnover are expected to result in approximately 49,700 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    61 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    36 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    12 / 100
    Social (S)
    23 / 100
    Enterprising (E) · strongest
    79 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    63 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ECR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    85
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    82
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    81
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    81
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    81
    Scheduling Work and Activities
    81
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    80
    Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
    80
    Getting Information
    79
    Documenting/Recording Information
    78
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Management of Personnel Resources
    • Active Listening
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Coordination
    • Critical Thinking
    • Time Management
    • Active Learning
    • Monitoring
    • Negotiation

    Knowledge

    • Building and Construction
    • Administration and Management
    • Mathematics
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mechanical
    • Production and Processing
    • Economics and Accounting
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Design

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Speech Clarity
    • Visualization

    Work styles

    • Leadership Orientation
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Cautiousness
    • Adaptability
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Bridges and Buildings Supervisor · Commercial Construction Project Manager · Commercial Construction Superintendent · Commercial Superintendent · Concrete Foreman · Construction Area Manager · Construction Coordinator · Construction Director · Construction Foreman · Construction Management Supervisor

    Career pathway

    From your interests to construction managers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Construction Managers$114,990 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Carnegie Mellon University logo
      Carnegie Mellon University

      Pittsburgh, PA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $97,419
      4 yrs after
      $160,783
      Median debt
      $19,000
    2. 2University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus logo
      University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus

      Ann Arbor, MI · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $96,806
      4 yrs after
      $144,654
      Median debt
      $19,500
    3. 3University of California-Berkeley CAL logo
      University of California-Berkeley CAL

      Berkeley, CA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $94,811
      4 yrs after
      $144,599
      Median debt
      $10,656
    4. 4University of Pennsylvania UPENN logo
      University of Pennsylvania UPENN

      Philadelphia, PA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $108,743
      4 yrs after
      $136,806
      Median debt
      $19,250
    5. 5Emory University-Main Campus logo
      Emory University-Main Campus

      Atlanta, GA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $87,830
      4 yrs after
      $136,731
      Median debt
      $15,000
    6. 6University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus logo
      University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus

      Chapel Hill, NC · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $88,182
      4 yrs after
      $135,874
      Median debt
      $9,250
    7. 7Baylor University logo
      Baylor University

      Waco, TX · Business/Commerce, General · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $75,807
      4 yrs after
      $124,434
      Median debt
      $12,000
    8. 8Boston College logo
      Boston College

      Chestnut Hill, MA · Business Administration, Management and Operations · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $75,464
      4 yrs after
      $123,144
      Median debt
      $18,625

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What construction managers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Business Administration and Management, General
    • Business/Commerce, General
    • Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
    • Construction Management, General
    • Construction Management, Other
    • Construction Project Management
    • Operations Management and Supervision
    • Public Works Management

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    38 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about construction managers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common job titles for this career?

    People in this field are known by various titles, including commercial construction project manager, construction coordinator, concrete foreman, bridges and buildings supervisor, and construction director.

    What certifications can a construction manager earn?

    Managers can earn credentials such as the Certified Construction Manager, Certified Construction Quality Manager, or specialized options like the Certified Healthcare Constructor and Commercial Mechanical Inspector.

    What are some related careers in this field?

    Related occupations include civil engineers, architects, construction and building inspectors, solar energy installation managers, and first-line supervisors of construction trades.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.