Construction manager salary in California
Median $64.02 an hour for 34,750 construction managers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
$64.02/hrMedian hourly wageCalifornia, May data
$133,160/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$39.47 – $101.9110th to 90th percentilehourly range
34,750Jobs countedemployer survey
Construction manager pay in California: the full range
California ranks 6th of 51 states for median construction manager pay, and 18th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $57.83). 34,750 construction managers work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $39.47 – $49.41 | $82,100 – $102,780 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $49.41 – $80.80 | $102,780 – $168,070 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $80.80 – $101.91 | $168,070 – $211,970 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Construction manager pay by metro in California
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $48.51 | $79.82 | $108.23 | 5,160 | 25% above |
| San Jose | $47.07 | $78.39 | $120.19 | 1,850 | 22% above |
| Napa | $40.06 | $66.70 | $104.69 | 180 | 4% above |
| San Diego | $39.56 | $64.04 | $100.17 | 3,800 | about the same as |
| Santa Maria | $39.71 | $63.76 | $102.81 | 290 | about the same as |
| Los Angeles | $36.41 | $63.31 | $102.08 | 10,120 | 1% below |
| Oxnard | $40.12 | $62.84 | $92.55 | 580 | 2% below |
| El Centro | $39.71 | $62.80 | $93.75 | 60 | 2% below |
| Sacramento | $38.14 | $62.23 | $95.52 | 2,760 | 3% below |
| Santa Cruz | $40.90 | $61.89 | $84.07 | 150 | 3% below |
| San Luis Obispo | $35.56 | $61.64 | $90.90 | 370 | 4% below |
| Bakersfield | $40.19 | $61.49 | $98.16 | 720 | 4% below |
| Yuba City | $37.01 | $60.67 | $87.95 | 70 | 5% below |
| Riverside | $38.75 | $60.60 | $90.00 | 3,450 | 5% below |
| Modesto | $39.79 | $60.48 | $95.01 | 380 | 6% below |
| Santa Rosa | $35.56 | $59.95 | $94.74 | 560 | 6% below |
| Vallejo | $28.04 | $58.96 | $97.30 | 400 | 8% below |
| Salinas | $40.53 | $57.90 | $87.13 | 220 | 10% below |
| Stockton | $35.18 | $57.80 | $87.19 | 560 | 10% below |
| Chico | $38.23 | $57.53 | $85.01 | 140 | 10% below |
| Merced | $39.94 | $57.28 | $80.76 | 100 | 11% below |
| Fresno | $36.07 | $56.97 | $84.62 | 910 | 11% below |
| Redding | $23.81 | $53.61 | $86.54 | 150 | 16% below |
| Visalia | $32.78 | $50.12 | $82.86 | 230 | 22% below |
| Hanford | $37.53 | $49.94 | $75.23 | 50 | 22% below |
Construction manager wages in California over time
Table
| Year | California $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $33.18 | $64.12 | $26.75 | 23,990 |
| 2000 | $33.20 | $62.07 | $28.00 | 23,530 |
| 2001 | $35.45 | $64.44 | $29.35 | 20,870 |
| 2002 | $36.66 | $65.61 | $30.53 | 20,400 |
| 2003 | $37.67 | $65.91 | $31.96 | 19,370 |
| 2004 | $41.02 | $69.91 | $33.59 | 15,460 |
| 2005 | $41.29 | $68.06 | $34.74 | 17,610 |
| 2006 | $42.25 | $67.47 | $35.43 | 20,310 |
| 2007 | $45.78 | $71.08 | $36.65 | 21,890 |
| 2008 | $48.15 | $72.00 | $38.39 | 21,750 |
| 2009 | $49.88 | $74.85 | $39.58 | 20,850 |
| 2010 | $49.58 | $73.20 | $40.32 | 19,270 |
| 2011 | $48.63 | $69.60 | $40.50 | 21,500 |
| 2012 | $48.15 | $67.52 | $39.80 | 22,100 |
| 2013 | $49.24 | $68.05 | $40.58 | 23,370 |
| 2014 | $48.70 | $66.23 | $41.17 | 25,530 |
| 2015 | $46.81 | $63.58 | $42.02 | 29,950 |
| 2016 | $46.77 | $62.74 | $42.93 | 32,590 |
| 2017 | $48.87 | $64.19 | $43.93 | 32,780 |
| 2018 | $51.47 | $65.99 | $44.89 | 32,420 |
| 2019 | $53.80 | $67.75 | $45.80 | 32,830 |
| 2020 | $56.76 | $70.61 | $46.72 | 31,260 |
| 2021 | $56.80 | $67.48 | $47.55 | 34,550 |
| 2022 | $57.60 | $63.36 | $48.79 | 36,670 |
| 2023 | $59.95 | $63.34 | $50.43 | 36,950 |
| 2024 | $62.02 | $63.65 | $51.43 | 35,790 |
| 2025 | $64.02 | $64.02 | $55.28 | 34,750 |
In today's dollars, the median construction manager wage in California changed by +0.7% over the last ten years of data.
Is construction work growing in California?
898.7kConstruction jobsCalifornia, 2026-08
-1.4%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Contractor pay by county
Average pay at construction establishments by county (all employees, not just construction managers), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
| County | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco County | 21,750 | $128,455 | $2,470 |
| Santa Clara County | 50,668 | $122,701 | $2,360 |
| Tehama County | 1,067 | $118,014 | $2,269 |
| Alameda County | 44,885 | $110,642 | $2,128 |
| San Mateo County | 16,098 | $108,677 | $2,090 |
| Solano County | 11,051 | $105,185 | $2,023 |
| Yolo County | 4,901 | $104,584 | $2,011 |
| Contra Costa County | 25,930 | $103,829 | $1,997 |
| Napa County | 4,086 | $100,027 | $1,924 |
| Orange County | 103,392 | $99,697 | $1,917 |
| Marin County | 7,358 | $95,794 | $1,842 |
| Placer County | 18,848 | $91,175 | $1,753 |
| Sacramento County | 44,819 | $91,056 | $1,751 |
| Los Angeles County | 146,134 | $89,671 | $1,724 |
| Sonoma County | 16,007 | $88,865 | $1,709 |
| San Diego County | 88,510 | $87,836 | $1,689 |
| San Joaquin County | 14,047 | $87,099 | $1,675 |
| San Bernardino County | 39,507 | $84,766 | $1,630 |
| San Luis Obispo County | 8,656 | $84,477 | $1,625 |
| El Dorado County | 5,841 | $84,350 | $1,622 |
| Calaveras County | 910 | $83,548 | $1,607 |
| Humboldt County | 2,780 | $82,375 | $1,584 |
| Fresno County | 22,249 | $81,488 | $1,567 |
| Kern County | 16,086 | $81,382 | $1,565 |
| Butte County | 3,783 | $81,116 | $1,560 |
| Monterey County | 7,830 | $80,727 | $1,552 |
| Ventura County | 17,704 | $80,259 | $1,543 |
| Nevada County | 3,507 | $79,402 | $1,527 |
| Stanislaus County | 11,085 | $78,596 | $1,511 |
| Shasta County | 4,162 | $78,196 | $1,504 |
| Yuba County | 1,006 | $77,712 | $1,494 |
| Riverside County | 70,176 | $77,225 | $1,485 |
| Santa Cruz County | 4,971 | $76,485 | $1,471 |
| Santa Barbara County | 10,202 | $76,480 | $1,471 |
| Tuolumne County | 837 | $76,127 | $1,464 |
| San Benito County | 1,500 | $75,772 | $1,457 |
| Mendocino County | 1,564 | $74,764 | $1,438 |
| Sutter County | 1,504 | $73,440 | $1,412 |
| Amador County | 419 | $72,874 | $1,401 |
| Kings County | 1,232 | $71,904 | $1,383 |
| Imperial County | 1,676 | $71,116 | $1,368 |
| Mariposa County | 229 | $70,228 | $1,351 |
| Madera County | 2,283 | $70,049 | $1,347 |
| Tulare County | 7,231 | $69,507 | $1,337 |
| Colusa County | 141 | $69,140 | $1,330 |
| Lake County | 845 | $68,802 | $1,323 |
| Plumas County | 489 | $68,174 | $1,311 |
| Mono County | 474 | $68,045 | $1,309 |
| Siskiyou County | 570 | $66,098 | $1,271 |
| Merced County | 3,394 | $63,911 | $1,229 |
| Glenn County | 226 | $62,534 | $1,203 |
Keep comparing
Construction manager pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in California
Questions this page answers
How much do construction managers make in California?
The median construction manager in California earned $64.02 an hour ($133,160 a year) in May 2025, 16% above the national median of $55.28. The middle half earn $49.41–$80.80; the top 10% earn more than $101.91.
Where does California rank for construction manager pay?
California ranks 6th of 51 states for construction manager pay, with a median of $64.02 an hour, and 18th after adjusting for California's cost of living (BEA price parity 110.7, US = 100).
What is the union construction manager rate in California?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a construction manager classification for most California counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many construction managers work in California?
BLS counted 34,750 construction managers in California in May 2025, 1.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.78; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, California and metro areas, SOC 11-9021.
- BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
- BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
- SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.