Construction Managers
Also called: Bridges and Buildings Supervisor, Commercial Construction Project Manager, Commercial Construction Superintendent, Commercial Superintendent, Concrete Foreman, Construction Area Manager, Construction Coordinator, Construction Director
Plan, direct, or coordinate, usually through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems.
What construction managers do
Typical 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.
- Study job specifications to determine appropriate construction methods.
- Plan, organize, or direct activities concerned with the construction or maintenance of structures, facilities, or systems.
- Contract or oversee craft work, such as painting or plumbing.
- Investigate damage, accidents, or delays at construction sites to ensure that proper construction procedures are being followed.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Construction Managers salary
The median annual wage for construction managers is $114,990 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $69,690 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $189,440. The mean annual wage is $124,360.
The mean hourly wage of $59.00 is 8.1× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Construction Managers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $114,990 → in 3 years $126,700 → in 5 years $135,200 → in 10 years $158,900 (10-year range $136,600–$184,400). The model assumes pay growth of +3.3% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Construction Managers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Construction Managers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Construction Managers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Construction Managers United States | 建築施工管理技術者 Japan | 土木施工管理技術者 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $114,990 | ¥6.79M ≈ $43,183 | ¥6.25M ≈ $39,742 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $158,900 | ¥9.07M | ¥8.42M |
| Outlook score | 79 | 67 | 71 |
| AI replacement risk | 46% Moderate | 45% Moderate | 33% Low |
| Workers | 380K | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Construction Managers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become construction managers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as construction managers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.