Construction manager salary in North Carolina
Median $51.27 an hour for 16,310 construction managers, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.
Construction manager pay in North Carolina: the full range
North Carolina ranks 31st of 51 states for median construction manager pay, and 33rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $54.37). 16,310 construction managers work in the state.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $33.16 – $40.38 | $68,960 – $83,990 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $40.38 – $66.11 | $83,990 – $137,510 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $66.11 – $84.95 | $137,510 – $176,690 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Construction manager pay by metro in North Carolina
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | $37.28 | $57.68 | $96.57 | 760 | 13% above |
| Raleigh | $37.51 | $57.55 | $87.98 | 3,020 | 12% above |
| Rocky Mount | $37.02 | $53.39 | $81.36 | 190 | 4% above |
| Pinehurst | $34.55 | $52.52 | $85.91 | 100 | 2% above |
| Charlotte | $33.16 | $51.54 | $84.24 | 5,450 | 1% above |
| Greenville | $30.63 | $51.26 | $86.95 | 180 | about the same as |
| Fayetteville | $31.92 | $50.79 | $78.56 | 320 | 1% below |
| Greensboro | $32.64 | $50.70 | $83.76 | 1,000 | 1% below |
| Virginia Beach | $37.14 | $50.60 | $77.81 | 1,400 | 1% below |
| Asheville | $32.37 | $50.50 | $80.84 | 470 | 2% below |
| Burlington | $34.49 | $50.23 | $77.80 | 180 | 2% below |
| Hickory | $33.30 | $50.23 | $80.88 | 270 | 2% below |
| Wilmington | $31.86 | $49.91 | $82.64 | 830 | 3% below |
| Winston-Salem | $31.41 | $49.88 | $87.14 | 710 | 3% below |
| Goldsboro | $34.86 | $47.72 | $79.49 | 120 | 7% below |
| Jacksonville | $30.98 | $47.56 | $75.36 | 180 | 7% below |
Construction manager wages in North Carolina over time
Table
| Year | North Carolina $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $21.70 | $41.93 | $26.75 | 11,190 |
| 2000 | $24.07 | $45.00 | $28.00 | 8,470 |
| 2001 | $25.24 | $45.88 | $29.35 | 7,690 |
| 2002 | $26.68 | $47.75 | $30.53 | 7,200 |
| 2003 | $26.68 | $46.68 | $31.96 | 7,340 |
| 2004 | $28.39 | $48.39 | $33.59 | 7,970 |
| 2005 | $30.92 | $50.97 | $34.74 | 8,430 |
| 2006 | $32.92 | $52.57 | $35.43 | 8,480 |
| 2007 | $34.57 | $53.68 | $36.65 | 9,550 |
| 2008 | $37.29 | $55.76 | $38.39 | 9,090 |
| 2009 | $38.41 | $57.64 | $39.58 | 8,110 |
| 2010 | $39.79 | $58.75 | $40.32 | 6,660 |
| 2011 | $40.73 | $58.29 | $40.50 | 6,320 |
| 2012 | $40.49 | $56.78 | $39.80 | 5,970 |
| 2013 | $40.82 | $56.41 | $40.58 | 6,280 |
| 2014 | $41.74 | $56.76 | $41.17 | 6,830 |
| 2015 | $42.18 | $57.29 | $42.02 | 7,970 |
| 2016 | $42.10 | $56.47 | $42.93 | 9,060 |
| 2017 | $45.78 | $60.13 | $43.93 | 9,860 |
| 2018 | $46.77 | $59.96 | $44.89 | 11,220 |
| 2019 | $48.92 | $61.60 | $45.80 | 13,500 |
| 2020 | $49.23 | $61.24 | $46.72 | 14,750 |
| 2021 | $47.35 | $56.26 | $47.55 | 16,570 |
| 2022 | $47.39 | $52.13 | $48.79 | 20,660 |
| 2023 | $48.75 | $51.51 | $50.43 | 21,520 |
| 2024 | $50.36 | $51.69 | $51.43 | 17,100 |
| 2025 | $51.27 | $51.27 | $55.28 | 16,310 |
In today's dollars, the median construction manager wage in North Carolina changed by -10.5% over the last ten years of data.
Is construction work growing in North Carolina?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County | 42,540 | $91,524 | $1,760 |
| Wake County | 45,166 | $89,732 | $1,726 |
| Northampton County | 186 | $85,420 | $1,643 |
| Guilford County | 13,865 | $80,008 | $1,539 |
| Beaufort County | 1,316 | $75,080 | $1,444 |
| Randolph County | 3,237 | $74,750 | $1,438 |
| Wayne County | 2,517 | $74,707 | $1,437 |
| New Hanover County | 9,488 | $73,637 | $1,416 |
| Cumberland County | 5,748 | $73,627 | $1,416 |
| Clay County | 208 | $73,496 | $1,413 |
| Rowan County | 3,211 | $72,526 | $1,395 |
| Nash County | 2,593 | $72,352 | $1,391 |
| Ashe County | 816 | $72,160 | $1,388 |
| Wilson County | 2,977 | $71,906 | $1,383 |
| Buncombe County | 7,285 | $70,496 | $1,356 |
| Moore County | 2,008 | $70,111 | $1,348 |
| Brunswick County | 3,650 | $69,419 | $1,335 |
| Graham County | 445 | $69,359 | $1,334 |
| Henderson County | 2,792 | $66,125 | $1,272 |
| Montgomery County | 589 | $66,015 | $1,270 |
| Chatham County | 1,972 | $65,285 | $1,255 |
| Harnett County | 2,581 | $65,228 | $1,254 |
| McDowell County | 740 | $64,808 | $1,246 |
| Richmond County | 429 | $64,643 | $1,243 |
| Davie County | 870 | $64,188 | $1,234 |
| Davidson County | 2,609 | $61,925 | $1,191 |
| Pender County | 1,380 | $61,304 | $1,179 |
| Onslow County | 3,091 | $61,088 | $1,175 |
| Chowan County | 164 | $60,961 | $1,172 |
| Columbus County | 563 | $60,943 | $1,172 |
| Hertford County | 405 | $60,786 | $1,169 |
| Duplin County | 732 | $60,280 | $1,159 |
| Jackson County | 902 | $60,146 | $1,157 |
| Martin County | 251 | $59,784 | $1,150 |
| Dare County | 1,207 | $59,439 | $1,143 |
| Bladen County | 335 | $59,132 | $1,137 |
| Transylvania County | 789 | $58,964 | $1,134 |
| Caldwell County | 1,098 | $58,773 | $1,130 |
| Madison County | 357 | $58,578 | $1,127 |
| Watauga County | 1,131 | $57,654 | $1,109 |
| Currituck County | 636 | $57,636 | $1,108 |
| Yancey County | 378 | $57,401 | $1,104 |
| Scotland County | 359 | $57,157 | $1,099 |
| Perquimans County | 105 | $56,794 | $1,092 |
| Stokes County | 427 | $56,771 | $1,092 |
| Swain County | 191 | $56,368 | $1,084 |
| Carteret County | 1,642 | $56,098 | $1,079 |
| Sampson County | 684 | $55,858 | $1,074 |
| Caswell County | 420 | $55,704 | $1,071 |
| Greene County | 270 | $55,479 | $1,067 |
| Avery County | 589 | $55,296 | $1,063 |
| Edgecombe County | 405 | $54,826 | $1,054 |
| Mitchell County | 241 | $54,766 | $1,053 |
| Macon County | 1,109 | $53,064 | $1,020 |
| Hoke County | 413 | $52,421 | $1,008 |
| Warren County | 120 | $51,727 | $995 |
| Anson County | 204 | $51,525 | $991 |
| Pamlico County | 191 | $50,192 | $965 |
| Alleghany County | 208 | $46,000 | $885 |
| Jones County | 142 | $45,633 | $878 |
| Hyde County | 97 | $41,183 | $792 |
Keep comparing
Construction manager pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in North Carolina
Questions this page answers
How much do construction managers make in North Carolina?
The median construction manager in North Carolina earned $51.27 an hour ($106,640 a year) in May 2025, 7% below the national median of $55.28. The middle half earn $40.38–$66.11; the top 10% earn more than $84.95.
Where does North Carolina rank for construction manager pay?
North Carolina ranks 31st of 51 states for construction manager pay, with a median of $51.27 an hour, and 33rd after adjusting for North Carolina's cost of living (BEA price parity 94.3, US = 100).
What is the union construction manager rate in North Carolina?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a construction manager classification for most North Carolina counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many construction managers work in North Carolina?
BLS counted 16,310 construction managers in North Carolina in May 2025, 3.3 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.35; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, North Carolina 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.