Construction manager salary: what construction managers actually make
BLS employer-survey wages for 380,360 construction managers nationwide, plus the union scale contractors must pay on federal jobs.
What construction managers earn: the full range
The middle half of construction managers earn between $42.57 and $72.91 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $91.08 ($189,440 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $33.50.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $33.50 – $42.57 | $69,690 – $88,550 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $42.57 – $72.91 | $88,550 – $151,640 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $72.91 – $91.08 | $151,640 – $189,440 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification. Union journeyman scale by county is in the prevailing-wage section below.
Construction manager pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $74.69 | 35% above |
| Washington | $74.55 | 35% above |
| Massachusetts | $69.71 | 26% above |
| Alaska | $66.92 | 21% above |
| New Jersey | $66.46 | 20% above |
| California | $64.02 | 16% above |
| Delaware | $63.53 | 15% above |
| Oregon | $63.18 | 14% above |
| New Hampshire | $62.15 | 12% above |
| Hawaii | $61.98 | 12% above |
| Maryland | $61.70 | 12% above |
| District of Columbia | $60.78 | 10% above |
| Connecticut | $60.19 | 9% above |
| Colorado | $60.02 | 9% above |
| Minnesota | $59.33 | 7% above |
| Kansas | $58.08 | 5% above |
| Virginia | $57.26 | 4% above |
| South Dakota | $56.91 | 3% above |
| Nevada | $55.41 | about the same as |
| Arizona | $55.14 | about the same as |
| Wisconsin | $54.90 | 1% below |
| Florida | $54.39 | 2% below |
| Missouri | $53.96 | 2% below |
| Georgia | $53.27 | 4% below |
| Tennessee | $52.98 | 4% below |
| Maine | $52.92 | 4% below |
| Louisiana | $52.89 | 4% below |
| Illinois | $52.48 | 5% below |
| Pennsylvania | $52.04 | 6% below |
| South Carolina | $51.98 | 6% below |
| North Carolina | $51.27 | 7% below |
| Indiana | $51.15 | 7% below |
| Utah | $50.58 | 9% below |
| Idaho | $50.29 | 9% below |
| New Mexico | $50.26 | 9% below |
| Montana | $50.23 | 9% below |
| Rhode Island | $50.00 | 10% below |
| Vermont | $49.74 | 10% below |
| Michigan | $49.63 | 10% below |
| North Dakota | $49.07 | 11% below |
| Ohio | $49.03 | 11% below |
| Texas | $48.78 | 12% below |
| Nebraska | $48.47 | 12% below |
| Oklahoma | $48.41 | 12% below |
| Mississippi | $47.85 | 13% below |
| Iowa | $47.73 | 14% below |
| Kentucky | $46.64 | 16% below |
| Alabama | $46.61 | 16% below |
| West Virginia | $46.03 | 17% below |
| Wyoming | $44.39 | 20% below |
| Arkansas | $41.50 | 25% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $74.69 | $69.22 | #2 | 10,280 |
| Washington | $74.55 | $69.67 | #1 | 6,010 |
| Massachusetts | $69.71 | $65.89 | #3 | 9,870 |
| Alaska | $66.92 | $65.35 | #4 | 1,720 |
| New Jersey | $66.46 | $61.08 | #9 | 6,910 |
| California | $64.02 | $57.83 | #18 | 34,750 |
| Delaware | $63.53 | $63.66 | #7 | 610 |
| Oregon | $63.18 | $61.10 | #8 | 4,300 |
| New Hampshire | $62.15 | $59.64 | #12 | 660 |
| Hawaii | $61.98 | $56.35 | #21 | 2,890 |
| Maryland | $61.70 | $58.76 | #14 | 5,770 |
| District of Columbia | $60.78 | $55.30 | #25 | 1,250 |
| Connecticut | $60.19 | $58.10 | #17 | 3,620 |
| Colorado | $60.02 | $58.22 | #16 | 12,550 |
| Minnesota | $59.33 | $60.17 | #10 | 5,800 |
| Kansas | $58.08 | $64.46 | #5 | 2,960 |
| Virginia | $57.26 | $56.64 | #20 | 7,290 |
| South Dakota | $56.91 | $64.23 | #6 | 1,070 |
| Nevada | $55.41 | $55.41 | #23 | 4,460 |
| Arizona | $55.14 | $54.76 | #30 | 9,910 |
| Wisconsin | $54.90 | $58.34 | #15 | 6,080 |
| Florida | $54.39 | $52.60 | #40 | 34,010 |
| Missouri | $53.96 | $59.43 | #13 | 3,680 |
| Georgia | $53.27 | $55.32 | #24 | 10,740 |
| Tennessee | $52.98 | $57.65 | #19 | 5,860 |
| Maine | $52.92 | $54.56 | #31 | 1,460 |
| Louisiana | $52.89 | $59.97 | #11 | 5,530 |
| Illinois | $52.48 | $52.48 | #42 | 19,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $52.04 | $53.32 | #36 | 6,840 |
| South Carolina | $51.98 | $55.47 | #22 | 5,620 |
| North Carolina | $51.27 | $54.37 | #33 | 16,310 |
| Indiana | $51.15 | $54.82 | #29 | 5,450 |
| Utah | $50.58 | $51.14 | #46 | — |
| Idaho | $50.29 | $52.66 | #39 | 2,280 |
| New Mexico | $50.26 | $54.51 | #32 | 2,480 |
| Montana | $50.23 | $53.10 | #37 | 2,140 |
| Rhode Island | $50.00 | $48.88 | #49 | 450 |
| Vermont | $49.74 | $50.76 | #47 | 930 |
| Michigan | $49.63 | $51.59 | #44 | 9,620 |
| North Dakota | $49.07 | $55.13 | #27 | 1,450 |
| Ohio | $49.03 | $52.83 | #38 | 16,130 |
| Texas | $48.78 | $50.24 | #48 | 59,060 |
| Nebraska | $48.47 | $53.80 | #35 | 3,430 |
| Oklahoma | $48.41 | $55.14 | #26 | 1,980 |
| Mississippi | $47.85 | $55.00 | #28 | 1,640 |
| Iowa | $47.73 | $54.36 | #34 | 3,070 |
| Kentucky | $46.64 | $51.71 | #43 | 2,990 |
| Alabama | $46.61 | $52.49 | #41 | 8,560 |
| West Virginia | $46.03 | $51.43 | #45 | 600 |
| Wyoming | $44.39 | $47.89 | #50 | — |
| Arkansas | $41.50 | $47.76 | #51 | 2,280 |
Construction manager wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $26.75 | $51.69 | 240,490 |
| 2000 | $28.00 | $52.35 | 229,200 |
| 2001 | $29.35 | $53.35 | 213,960 |
| 2002 | $30.53 | $54.64 | 208,360 |
| 2003 | $31.96 | $55.92 | 196,110 |
| 2004 | $33.59 | $57.25 | 185,580 |
| 2005 | $34.74 | $57.27 | 192,610 |
| 2006 | $35.43 | $56.58 | 207,630 |
| 2007 | $36.65 | $56.91 | 216,120 |
| 2008 | $38.39 | $57.40 | 220,550 |
| 2009 | $39.58 | $59.40 | 204,760 |
| 2010 | $40.32 | $59.53 | 191,430 |
| 2011 | $40.50 | $57.97 | 195,000 |
| 2012 | $39.80 | $55.81 | 207,580 |
| 2013 | $40.58 | $56.08 | 213,720 |
| 2014 | $41.17 | $55.99 | 227,710 |
| 2015 | $42.02 | $57.08 | 239,640 |
| 2016 | $42.93 | $57.59 | 249,650 |
| 2017 | $43.93 | $57.70 | 263,480 |
| 2018 | $44.89 | $57.55 | 278,460 |
| 2019 | $45.80 | $57.67 | 293,380 |
| 2020 | $46.72 | $58.12 | 285,640 |
| 2021 | $47.55 | $56.49 | 284,750 |
| 2022 | $48.79 | $53.67 | 303,220 |
| 2023 | $50.43 | $53.28 | 329,190 |
| 2024 | $51.43 | $52.78 | 348,330 |
| 2025 | $55.28 | $55.28 | 380,360 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median construction manager wage changed by -3.1% over the last ten years.
Highest-paying metros for construction managers
| Metro | Median $/hr | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $79.82 | $108.23 | 5,160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $78.39 | $120.19 | 1,850 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $76.65 | $106.43 | 4,010 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $75.96 | $120.44 | 12,120 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $75.23 | $104.74 | 7,570 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $70.55 | $104.60 | 2,690 |
| Worcester, MA | $67.58 | $99.72 | 880 |
| Anchorage, AK | $66.34 | $109.77 | 900 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $64.04 | $100.17 | 3,800 |
| New Haven, CT | $64.00 | $90.02 | 570 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $63.31 | $102.08 | 10,120 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $62.97 | $105.33 | 570 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $62.84 | $92.55 | 580 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $62.33 | $99.60 | 6,630 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $62.23 | $95.52 | 2,760 |
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects construction managers employment to change by +9.1% over 2025-35, with about 49,700 openings a year from growth and people leaving the occupation. Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree.
Compare construction manager pay with other trades
See how construction manager pay compares with other trades on the ranking of all trades and the comparison pages.
Questions this page answers
How much do construction managers make?
The median construction manager earned $55.28 an hour, or $114,990 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 380,360 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $42.57 and $72.91 an hour.
How much do construction managers make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $33.50 at the 10th percentile to $91.08 at the 90th, with a median of $55.28. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice construction manager make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $33.50 to $42.57 an hour ($69,690 to $88,550 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays construction managers the most?
New York had the highest median at $74.69 an hour in May 2025, followed by Washington ($74.55) and Massachusetts ($69.71). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are construction manager wages going up?
In today's dollars the median construction manager wage changed by -3.1% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $42.02 to $55.28.
Is construction manager a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $114,990 a year, a 90th percentile of $189,440, projected growth of +9.1% and about 49,700 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 11-9021 (Construction managers). Wages exclude overtime and benefits.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, latest year.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national. Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.