How to Become a Construction Manager
Plan, coordinate, budget, and supervise construction projects from start to finish. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $114,990 per year and much faster than average projected job growth.
Median pay
$114,990/yr
Middle half
$88,550 to $151,640
Job growth
Much faster than average
Openings / yr
46,800
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Project Management
- Cost Estimation
- Blueprint Reading
- Safety Compliance
- Scheduling
Helpful certifications
- CCM (Certified Construction Manager)
- PMP
- OSHA 30-Hour
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
8/100
Work-life balance
38/100
Stress level
68/100
Satisfaction
70/100
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Construction Manager make?
The median pay for a Construction Manager is $114,990 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $88,550 and $151,640 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Construction Manager?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, and Business Administration.
Is Construction Manager a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is much faster than average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 46,800 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Construction Manager use most?
Common skills for this role are Project Management, Cost Estimation, Blueprint Reading, Safety Compliance, and Scheduling.
Planning to become a Construction Manager?
Save this career to your PlanexAI path and track the majors, courses, and milestones that lead to it.
Not sure this is right for you?
Take our free 2-minute quiz to match your interests to majors and careers.
Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).