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
2,909 mapped
Core skills
Management of Personnel ResourcesCoordinationTime ManagementSpeakingMonitoringActive ListeningReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingNegotiationActive LearningSocial PerceptivenessWritingMathematicsManagement of Financial ResourcesSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisQuality Control AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesService OrientationPersuasionOperations AnalysisLearning StrategiesInstructingOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingScienceOperation and ControlTechnology DesignProgrammingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Building and ConstructionAdministration and ManagementEngineering and TechnologyEnglish LanguageCustomer and Personal ServicePublic Safety and SecurityMathematicsDesignMechanicalEconomics and AccountingComputers and ElectronicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesProduction and ProcessingEducation and TrainingLaw and GovernmentTransportationSales and MarketingAdministrativePsychologyPhysicsCommunications and MediaTelecommunicationsChemistryGeographyForeign LanguageSociology and AnthropologyBiologyTherapy and CounselingMedicine and DentistryHistory and ArcheologyPhilosophy and TheologyFood ProductionFine Arts
Technology & tools
3M Post-it AppAEC Software FastTrack ScheduleAdobe AcrobatAdobe Creative Cloud softwareArenaSoft EstimatingAutodesk AutoCADAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DAutodesk RevitAxios Systems assystBechtel Software SETROUTECBS ProLog ManagerCSI WSE CodeBuddyCadsoft Design/BuildComputer aided design and drafting software CADDDaily ManagerDatabase softwareDrone image capturing softwareDropboxEmail softwareExplorer EngineerGoogle DocsGoogle DriveHCSS HeavyBidHCSS HeavyJobIMPACT softwareISS Construction ManagerIntegrated construction management softwareInternet browser softwareJobber Computer PlusLinkedInLombardi TeamworksLoomMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft DynamicsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Internet ExplorerMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Project
Representative tasks
Getting InformationScheduling Work and ActivitiesCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkWorking with ComputersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsDeveloping and Building TeamsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesProcessing InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCoaching and Developing OthersThinking CreativelyTraining and Teaching OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersSelling or Influencing OthersDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming General Physical ActivitiesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
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
32 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Bridges and Buildings SupervisorCommercial Construction Project ManagerCommercial Construction SuperintendentCommercial SuperintendentConcrete ForemanConstruction Area ManagerConstruction CoordinatorConstruction DirectorConstruction ForemanConstruction Management SupervisorConstruction ManagerConstruction Project ManagerConstruction Services ManagerConstruction SuperintendentElectrical SuperintendentEnergy Efficient Site ManagerEnvironmental Construction Program ManagerGeneral SuperintendentJob SuperintendentMaintenance of Way Superintendent (MOW Superintendent)Masonry Contractor Administrator (Masonry Construction Admin)Multifamily SuperintendentProject CoordinatorProject SuperintendentRailroad Construction DirectorSite ManagerSite Supervision Technical OperatorSolar Commercial Installation Electrician ManagerStreet SupervisorSuperintendentUtility Division Project ManagerWeatherization Operations Manager