Career
Construction managers
Turn plans into buildings, on budget and on schedule.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
- Develop or implement quality control programs.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
- Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
- Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on persuasion & leadership, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Judgment and Decision Making, Management of Personnel Resources, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
4 years of education after high school (bachelor's degree), for a median of $114,990 a year and 49,700 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Business AdministrationSee the degree →
- Business (General)See the degree →
- Construction Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.1001
- Public Works ManagementCIP 44.0402
- Business/Commerce, GeneralCIP 52.0101
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralCIP 52.0201
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Civil Engineers$100,840 · +6.4%
- Solar Energy Installation Managers
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950 · +3.2%
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920 · +5.0%
- Construction and Building Inspectors$74,690 · +0.0%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
Not sure this fits who you are? Start with Vocational Finder →
Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.