Occupations · Management
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 11-9021.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 61% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $101,850 | 15,240 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $100,760 | 14,280 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $138,000 | 12,150 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $118,830 | 11,920 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $128,730 | 10,430 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $124,850 | 7,860 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $111,550 | 7,600 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $156,590 | 6,970 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $110,810 | 6,830 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $128,190 | 6,060 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | $102,540 | 5,740 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $160,870 | 5,660 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Direct how drone technology is used for site inspections and progress monitoring, ensuring accurate and timely project completion.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 20
No longer listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| construction manager | 1323.1 | exact |
| construction quality manager | 3112.1.4 | close |
| construction general supervisor | 3123.1 | close |
| construction general contractor | 1323.1.1 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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