The construction management salary in the United States is a huge perk for professionals passionate about this industry. Construction management salaries in the U.S. are more than appealing, with the average construction management degree salary per year of $87,400 (and the average construction project manager salary per hour of $42.02, according to the BLS). This is a huge difference compared to the average salary for all occupations in the U.S. economy – $36,200.
However, the project manager construction salary isn’t the same for everyone. Naturally, the entry level construction project manager salary is significantly lower than the wage of an expert manager. But this isn’t the only factor that can influence the project manager salary construction professionals earn.
Find out what elements have an impact on your potential project manager construction salary below.
Construction Management Salary Influencers
1. Industry
One of the top influential factors for the construction project management salary is the specific industry you work in. The source we cited above shows that there can a difference of more than $10k for construction management jobs in different industries. While the residential construction management salary is usually about $78,010 per year, the salary of a construction manager working in the heavy and civil engineering construction industry can exceed $90,400 annually.
In between, specialty trade contractors can earn about $83,250 every year. Another high-paying industry with pleasing construction management salary averages is nonresidential building construction, with an estimate of $89,810 yearly.
Recruiter.com also highlights that the construction safety manager salary for employees in the private sector are the greatest, while those working for the state or local government are considerably lower.
2. Geographic Area
Most people are taken aback by the large differences that the construction assistant project manager salary can have from state to state. As realtors say, “location, location, location”. The same applies for the project manager construction salary in the United States. While some states easily offer over one hundred grand a year for construction managers, others barely exceed $70k.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest construction managers salary in the country can be found in New Jersey – $140,000. This might come as a pleasant surprise to you, but you should know that NJ isn’t the only state that offers a six-figure construction management certificate salary. Here are a few other states that will point you in the right direction for answering “how much do construction managers make?”:
- Construction engineering management salary in Alaska – $122,250
- Rhode Island average construction manager salary – $120,660
- Average construction management salary in Pennsylvania – $115,520
- New York average salary for construction project manager – $114,330
In addition to an appealing salary, you should also consider employment rates. Sometimes, you can have the best assistant construction manager salary opportunities in the world, but it wouldn’t be of use at all if the state has a low employment rate. In this regard, the top employment rates for construction managers in the U.S. are:
- California
- Texas
- Florida
- New York
- Ohio
As a result, you can try finding a job as a construction manager in New York for the salary and the employment opportunities.
Nonetheless, you should also be aware of a few states with rock bottom construction management starting salary estimates. Which are the states and how much does a construction manager earn in them?
- Oklahoma – $78,690
- Kansas – $77,290
- Iowa – $74,390
- Arkansas – $72,420
- Mississippi – $69,580
3. Experience
Naturally, another definitive aspect for your construction management salary is your amount of work experience. A first year construction management salary can’t compare with an experienced regional construction manager salary, but how big is the difference? Sokanu informs us that the average starting construction management salary is $52,350 and it increases to around $155,200.
Working Hours and Environment
Statistics show that about 4 in every 10 construction managers are self-employed, while the majority of professionals in this field work full time. Their paperwork is usually based in an office, but their typical working environment is the construction site of the project they are supervising. If they are working on more than one project, then they must travel to all the construction sites they are responsible for.
Construction Management Salary by State
| Area name | Annual mean wage ($) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 89680 |
| Alaska | 122250 |
| Arizona | 88640 |
| Arkansas | 72420 |
| California | 108240 |
| Colorado | 92670 |
| Connecticut | 106780 |
| Delaware | 107850 |
| District of Columbia | 104690 |
| Florida | 90310 |
| Georgia | 97480 |
| Guam | 80460 |
| Hawaii | 96810 |
| Idaho | 86480 |
| Illinois | 96900 |
| Indiana | 80430 |
| Iowa | 74390 |
| Kansas | 77290 |
| Kentucky | 82310 |
| Louisiana | 87050 |
| Maine | 82650 |
| Maryland | 103190 |
| Massachusetts | 107430 |
| Michigan | 88980 |
| Minnesota | 90470 |
| Mississippi | 69580 |
| Missouri | 96740 |
| Montana | 81330 |
| Nebraska | 90650 |
| Nevada | 83990 |
| New Hampshire | 88820 |
| New Jersey | 140000 |
| New Mexico | 86970 |
| New York | 114330 |
| North Carolina | 95090 |
| North Dakota | 84890 |
| Ohio | 96300 |
| Oklahoma | 78690 |
| Oregon | 90170 |
| Pennsylvania | 115520 |
| Puerto Rico | 62690 |
| Rhode Island | 120660 |
| South Carolina | 88740 |
| South Dakota | 91110 |
| Tennessee | 91250 |
| Texas | 93610 |
| Utah | 80910 |
| Vermont | 91430 |
| Virginia | 107540 |
| Washington | 96980 |
| West Virginia | 91970 |
| Wisconsin | 102190 |
| Wyoming | 97730 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bonuses and Benefit Packages
Payscale reports that a construction management salary can include a bonus up to $19,252 a year, depending on performance and results. The same source mentions that the common health benefits that these professionals receive are: medical (77%), dental (59%) and vision (48%). These all strongly depend on your employer, though, so make sure to ask relevant questions during your job interview.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for construction managers is pretty close to the national average. While the median for all occupations in the U.S. economy is a 7% increase for the next years, job opportunities for construction managers are expected to grow 5% for the 2014-2024 period. Individuals who have higher education in the field have more opportunities of getting hired than those without. Not only will more and more buildings be created during this time, but there will also be an increasing demand for retrofitting buildings for safety standards.
Conclusion
All in all, the construction management salary is great for future professionals. If you relocate to the proper states and work on getting quality education, you will most likely find a job in this field soon.
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