Occupation · SOC 11-9021
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.
Median wage
$106,980
$65,160–$176,990
Projected growth
+8.7%
Faster than average
Annual openings
4,810
per year
Employed (US)
348,330
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
2,910 mapped
Core skills
Judgment and Decision MakingManagement of Personnel ResourcesCritical ThinkingCoordinationComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningTime ManagementActive Learning
Knowledge areas
Building and ConstructionAdministration and ManagementMathematicsEngineering and TechnologyCustomer and Personal Service
Technology & tools
Word processing softwareDocument management softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareAnalytical or scientific software
Representative 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.Plan, organize, or direct activities concerned with the construction or maintenance of structures, facilities, or systems.Study job specifications to determine appropriate construction methods.Contract or oversee craft work, such as painting or plumbing.Interpret and explain plans and contract terms to representatives of the owner or developer, including administrative staff, workers, or clients.Investigate damage, accidents, or delays at construction sites to ensure that proper construction procedures are being followed.Implement new or modified plans in response to delays, bad weather, or construction site emergencies.Requisition supplies or materials to complete construction projects.Apply for and obtain all necessary permits or licenses.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.Evaluate construction methods and determine cost-effectiveness of plans, using computer models.Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with environmental regulations.Develop or implement environmental protection programs.Secure third-party verification from sources, such as Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED), to ensure responsible design and building activities or to achieve favorable LEED ratings for building projects.Implement training programs on environmentally responsible building topics to update employee skills and knowledge.Develop construction budgets to compare green and non-green construction alternatives, in terms of short-term costs, long-term costs, or environmental impacts.Apply green building strategies to reduce energy costs or minimize carbon output or other sources of harm to the environment.Direct acquisition of land for construction projects.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Building and safety codes — identify and reference applicable regulations during site walkthroughs under the direction of a senior construction manager.Project schedules and calendar software — enter task durations and dependencies under supervision to support deadline tracking on active construction sites.Budget estimate worksheets — compile labor and material cost data into draft estimates using spreadsheet tools under close managerial review.Quality control checklists — apply pre-established inspection protocols at designated milestones on residential or light commercial projects.Construction workers and crew leads — relay daily task assignments and safety instructions under the guidance of a project superintendent.Labor requirement logs — calculate basic crew sizes needed for routine trade activities using standard staffing formulas provided by supervisors.Project management software — input progress updates, milestone completions, and resource allocations as directed on assigned project modules.Subcontractor documentation — review contracts and scope-of-work documents for completeness and flag discrepancies to senior staff for resolution.Technical drawings and specifications — read and interpret standard construction documents to verify field conditions align with design intent.Verbal and written communications — prepare meeting notes and progress summaries for distribution to project team members under managerial direction.
developing
Building code compliance inspections — conduct routine site reviews across multiple trade disciplines, documenting deficiencies and initiating corrective actions with limited oversight.Quality control programs — implement established QC procedures, track non-conformances, and verify closure of corrective actions on mid-scale commercial projects.Construction activity schedules — develop and maintain CPM-based project schedules using scheduling software, adjusting sequences to address emerging delays in familiar site conditions.Progress and cost tracking reports — prepare and submit periodic budget variance and earned-value reports to owners and stakeholders using project management software.Subcontractor and craft crews — supervise daily field operations, resolve work-sequence conflicts, and enforce safety requirements across multiple trades on site.Labor dispatch plans — analyze trade workflow demands and issue crew deployment schedules aligned with project phase requirements and available workforce capacity.Owner and design-team meetings — participate in project coordination meetings, raise construction concerns, and document agreed resolutions for distribution to field teams.Subcontract agreements — review subcontractor proposals, negotiate scope and schedule terms, and process contract amendments within delegated authority limits.CAD and document management software — retrieve, mark up, and distribute revised drawings and submittals to ensure field teams work from current design documents.Risk identification logs — recognize and escalate common project risks related to schedule, cost, and safety to the project manager with supporting data.
proficient
Regulatory compliance programs — autonomously oversee inspection regimens across all project phases, resolving code interpretation issues directly with inspectors and authorities having jurisdiction.Project-wide quality management plans — design, deploy, and continuously improve QC systems covering materials testing, inspection hold points, and subcontractor quality requirements on large commercial builds.Integrated master schedules — develop multi-phase, resource-loaded project schedules, identify and mitigate critical-path risks, and resequence work to recover schedule on complex construction projects.Cost control and budget reporting — independently prepare detailed budget estimates, manage contingency reserves, and deliver cost-to-complete forecasts to ownership groups on projects exceeding several million dollars.Full project workforce — direct and evaluate the performance of superintendents, field engineers, and subcontractor foremen, applying progressive discipline and recognition practices across the full project team.Workforce planning analyses — model labor demand curves against subcontractor capacity and market availability, negotiating procurement strategies to maintain optimal site staffing throughout the project lifecycle.Multi-party dispute resolution — lead negotiations among owners, architects, consultants, and contractors to resolve design conflicts, change orders, and claims, documenting outcomes in formal correspondence.Prime and subcontract negotiations — draft, negotiate, and execute contract amendments, bond requirements, and insurance provisions with consultants, suppliers, and subcontractors within full project authority.Systems analysis for constructability — evaluate design documents, specifications, and sequencing logic to identify constructability issues before work begins, recommending value-engineered solutions to design teams.Analytical and compliance software — leverage integrated project controls platforms to perform trend analyses, forecast schedule and cost outcomes, and generate executive-ready reports for owner presentations.
advanced
Organizational safety and compliance strategy — establish company-wide building-code compliance frameworks and safety management systems, ensuring consistent regulatory adherence across an entire portfolio of concurrent projects.Enterprise quality management systems — design and institutionalize QC standards, audit protocols, and continuous-improvement processes that elevate quality performance across all divisions and project types.Portfolio-level master planning — direct the integrated scheduling and resource-allocation strategy for multiple simultaneous large-scale construction programs, setting organizational capacity thresholds and delivery priorities.Capital budget governance — set financial performance targets, approve project budgets at the program level, and lead executive reporting on cost performance, profitability, and risk exposure to boards or ownership groups.Construction workforce leadership — recruit, mentor, and retain senior project managers and superintendents, creating career development pathways and succession plans that sustain organizational talent pipelines.Strategic labor and contractor relations — negotiate enterprise-level agreements with trade unions, major subcontractors, and staffing agencies, shaping workforce availability and cost structures across multi-year project pipelines.Executive stakeholder engagement — represent the organization in high-stakes negotiations and dispute proceedings with clients, government agencies, and joint-venture partners, safeguarding company interests and relationships.Contractual risk and procurement leadership — establish standard contract templates, bonding strategies, and procurement policies that protect organizational interests across diverse project delivery methods including CM-at-risk and design-build.Technology and innovation adoption — evaluate and mandate deployment of emerging construction technologies — including BIM, cloud-based collaboration platforms, and data analytics tools — to drive productivity and competitive advantage.Organizational culture and ethics — model leadership behaviors aligned with integrity, dependability, and stress resilience, embedding these work styles into performance expectations and professional development programs across the firm.
Also known as
162 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
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