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.

$106,980
Median Annual Pay
Jobs growth:
+9% projected 2024–2034
Bachelor's degree
Typical Entry-Level Education

What They Do

Construction managers oversee building projects from the initial planning stages through final completion, ensuring everything runs smoothly, safely, and on schedule. They coordinate the work of various contractors and subcontractors, manage budgets that often run into millions of dollars, and solve problems that arise during construction. On any given day, they might review blueprints and building plans, negotiate with suppliers for materials, inspect work sites to ensure quality and safety standards are met, and hold meetings with architects, engineers, and property owners. They spend considerable time both in the office handling paperwork, permits, and scheduling, and on construction sites wearing hard hats and managing the action firsthand.

Programs That Prepare You

College programs linked to this occupation, ranked by graduate earnings

Business/Commerce(masters)Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA
$190,333
Business/Commerce(masters)Northwestern University, IL
$188,890
Business/Commerce(masters)Emory University, GA
$166,848
Business/Commerce(masters)University of Virginia-Main Campus, VA
$159,747
Business/Commerce(masters)Michigan State University, MI
$133,992
Public Administration(masters)Harvard University, MA
$133,307
Business/Commerce(masters)University of Denver, CO
$132,833
Business/Commerce(masters)Johns Hopkins University, MD
$128,210
Business/Commerce(masters)University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI
$127,264
Business/Commerce(masters)Indiana University-Bloomington, IN
$125,488
Public Administration(doctoral)Capella University, MN
$122,967
Business/Commerce(masters)Indiana University-Indianapolis, IN
$117,414
Business/Commerce(masters)Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia, PA
$116,023
Business/Commerce(masters)Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA
$115,920
Business/Commerce(masters)Harvard University, MA
$115,920
Business/Commerce(masters)Nichols College, MA
$115,920
Business/Commerce(masters)Bentley University, MA
$115,920
Business/Commerce(masters)Northeastern University, MA
$115,920
Business/Commerce(masters)Northeastern University Professional Programs, MA
$115,920
Business/Commerce(masters)Drexel University, PA
$112,692
Business/Commerce(masters)Grand Valley State University, MI
$112,465
Public Administration(masters)Calumet College of Saint Joseph, IN
$111,396
Public Administration(masters)Anna Maria College, MA
$110,456
Business/Commerce(masters)Georgia State University, GA
$108,995
Construction Management(masters)Columbia University in the City of New York, NY
$107,173

Related Careers

Other occupations in Management