What Does it Take to Be a Construction Manager?

Construction Manager Definition 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.

Life As a Construction Manager: What Do They Do?

• Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
• Develop construction budgets to compare green and non-green construction alternatives, in terms of short-term costs, long-term costs, or environmental impacts.
• Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
• Apply green building strategies to reduce energy costs or minimize carbon output or other sources of harm to the environment.
• Perform, or contract others to perform, pre-building assessments, such as conceptual cost estimating, rough order of magnitude estimating, feasibility, or energy efficiency, environmental, and sustainability assessments.
• Investigate damage, accidents, or delays at construction sites to ensure that proper construction procedures are being followed.

What Every Construction Manager Should Know

When polled, Construction Managers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.

Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Related Job Titles

• Concrete Foreman
• Construction Consultant
• Construction Superintendent
• House Wrecker
• Masonry Contractor

Are There Job Opportunities for Construction Managers?

There were about 403,800 jobs for Construction Manager in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 11.1% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 44,800 new jobs for Construction Manager by 2026. There will be an estimated 33,200 positions for Construction Manager per year.

The states with the most job growth for Construction Manager are Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Construction Manager

The average yearly salary of a Construction Manager ranges between $55,240 and $161,510.

Construction Managers who work in New Jersey, Delaware, or New York, make the highest salaries.

How much do Construction Managers make in different U.S. states?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$96,500
Alaska	$115,580
Arizona	$92,520
Arkansas	$78,250
California	$117,770
Colorado	$97,170
Connecticut	$112,570
Delaware	$124,000
District of Columbia	$103,310
Florida	$94,150
Georgia	$105,330
Hawaii	$109,850
Idaho	$78,880
Illinois	$95,020
Indiana	$86,210
Iowa	$84,710
Kansas	$87,270
Kentucky	$89,990
Louisiana	$99,610
Maine	$84,410
Maryland	$106,050
Massachusetts	$109,130
Michigan	$101,810
Minnesota	$93,230
Mississippi	$79,380
Missouri	$96,680
Montana	$96,000
Nebraska	$93,080
Nevada	$94,350
New Hampshire	$91,490
New Jersey	$145,400
New Mexico	$89,410
New York	$131,950
North Carolina	$109,520
North Dakota	$109,640
Ohio	$103,700
Oklahoma	$85,950
Oregon	$98,110
Pennsylvania	$106,270
Rhode Island	$132,750
South Carolina	$100,030
South Dakota	$95,820
Tennessee	$82,870
Texas	$98,420
Utah	$83,990
Vermont	$92,730
Virginia	$109,980
Washington	$100,180
West Virginia	$113,320
Wisconsin	$113,270
Wyoming	$96,050

What Tools do Construction Managers Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Construction Managers may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Access
• Data entry software
• Email software
• SAP
• Microsoft Project
• Autodesk AutoCAD
• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Database software
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne
• Scheduling software
• Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
• Microsoft Internet Explorer

How do I Become a Construction Manager?

Individuals working as a Construction Manager have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Construction Manager?

Where do Construction Managers Work?

Construction Managers work in the following industries:

Related Careers

Career changers with experience as a Construction Manager sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Energy Engineers

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Mike Moore via public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.