# Construction Managers

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/construction-managers
- SOC code: 11-9021.00
- Career family: Management
- Median annual pay: $114,990 (10th percentile $69,690, 90th percentile $189,440)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +9.1%
- Openings a year: 49,700
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECR)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 61 |
| Investigative (I) | 36 |
| Artistic (A) | 12 |
| Social (S) | 23 |
| Enterprising (E) | 79 |
| Conventional (C) | 63 |

## What you'd do

- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 85/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 82/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 81/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 81/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 81/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 81/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 80/100)
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others (importance 80/100)
- Getting Information (importance 79/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 78/100)

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Business Administration, Management and Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5202) (CIP 5202, 2,372 colleges)
- [Business/Commerce, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5201) (CIP 5201, 975 colleges)
- [Public Administration](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4404) (CIP 4404, 482 colleges)
- [Construction Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5220) (CIP 5220, 185 colleges)
- [Construction Engineering Technology/Technician](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1510) (CIP 1510, 178 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $97,419 | $160,783 | $19,000 |
| [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor-main-campus-2956) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $96,806 | $144,654 | $19,500 |
| [University of California-Berkeley CAL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-california-berkeley-cal-2881) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $94,811 | $144,599 | $10,656 |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $108,743 | $136,806 | $19,250 |
| [Emory University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/emory-university-main-campus-916) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $87,830 | $136,731 | $15,000 |
| [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill-main-campus-2990) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $88,182 | $135,874 | $9,250 |
| [Baylor University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/baylor-university-194) | Business/Commerce, General | $75,807 | $124,434 | $12,000 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Business Administration, Management and Operations | $75,464 | $123,144 | $18,625 |

## Related careers

- [Civil Engineers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/civil-engineers): $100,840 median pay
- [Solar Energy Installation Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/solar-energy-installation-managers): $79,920 median pay
- [Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/civil-engineering-technologists-and-technicians): $64,950 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-construction-trades-and-extraction-workers): $79,920 median pay
- [Construction and Building Inspectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/construction-and-building-inspectors): $74,690 median pay
- [Architects, Except Landscape and Naval](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/architects-except-landscape-and-naval): $99,280 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.