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Construction Managers

Typical education: Associate degreeHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $114,990 Median per year · $55.28/hr Most earn $69,690–$189,440

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • 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.
  • Plan, organize, or direct activities concerned with the construction or maintenance of structures, facilities, or systems.
  • Evaluate construction methods and determine cost-effectiveness of plans, using computer models.
  • Investigate damage, accidents, or delays at construction sites to ensure that proper construction procedures are being followed.
  • 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.
  • Develop or implement environmental protection programs.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
9% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 49,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)37.6%
  • Nonresidential building construction15.3%
  • Residential building construction9.1%
  • Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors3.6%
  • Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors3.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Construction management is usually not an entry-level job. Most people spend a couple of years in school and then about 4 to 6 years working on job sites before they take on this role.

  1. High school diploma with math and drafting or shop classes

    4 years

    Strong math, reading, and hands-on classes build the base for planning budgets, schedules, and building work.

  2. Associate degree in construction management or building technology

    2 years

    This two-year program teaches cost estimating, scheduling, blueprint reading, and building codes, which you will use every day as a manager.

  3. First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades

    4-6 years

    Leading a crew on real projects teaches you how work actually gets done, how to manage people and safety, and how to keep a job on schedule, which prepares you to oversee the whole project.

  4. Construction Manager

    Ongoing

    You plan, organize, and oversee a construction project from start to finish, coordinating subcontractors, budgets, and schedules.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Construction Manager

    5-10 years of experience first

    You take on larger, more complex projects and often lead several managers at once, with more responsibility for budgets and client relationships.

  2. Architectural and Engineering Manager

    8-10 years of experience first

    You lead teams of architects or engineers and guide design and technical work across projects, which usually requires a master's degree or advanced technical training.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and drafting or CAD classesAlgebra, geometry, and drafting teach you to measure, plan, and read blueprints, which are core skills for this career.
  • Join a skills club such as SkillsUSA or a school building trades programThese groups teach teamwork, leadership, and hands-on construction skills that look good on applications.
  • Get a summer or after-school job on a job site or with a landscaping or home repair companyWorking with crews shows you how construction projects run and helps you build early field experience.
  • Volunteer with a local Habitat for Humanity build or community repair projectHelping build or repair homes gives you practical experience and shows that you can work well with others.

In college

  • Enroll in a construction management or building technology associate degree programThis degree covers estimating, scheduling, codes, and project management, which are the main skills employers look for.
  • Take courses in blueprint reading, cost estimating, and schedulingThese classes build the specific skills you will use to plan and budget a project.
  • Work an internship or co-op with a general contractorField experience during school helps you learn how projects move from planning to finished buildings and makes you more hireable.
  • Earn a safety certification such as OSHA 10-hour or 30-hourSafety training is required on most job sites and shows employers you take responsibility for crews seriously.
  • Join a student chapter of a construction management group like the Associated Schools of Construction or a campus construction clubThese groups offer networking, mentoring, and sometimes student competitions that build leadership and teamwork.

Tips for getting started

  • Get hands-on time on job sites, even part-time or summer work, because employers value real field experience as much as classroom learning.
  • Learn basic estimating and scheduling software early, since these tools are used on nearly every construction project.
  • Ask a local contractor or construction manager if you can talk with them or shadow them for a day to see what the job really involves.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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