Construction managers must be available—often 24 hours a
day—to deal with delays, bad weather, or emergencies at the
jobsite.
Employers prefer individuals who combine construction industry
work experience with a bachelor’s degree in construction science,
construction management, or civil engineering.
Excellent employment opportunities are expected as the
increasing complexity of many construction projects requires more
managers to oversee them.
Construction managers plan, direct, and coordinate a wide variety
of construction projects, including the building of all types of
residential, commercial, and industrial structures, roads, bridges,
wastewater treatment plants, and schools and hospitals. Construction
managers may oversee an entire project or just part of a project
and, although they usually play no direct role in the actual
construction of a structure, they typically schedule and coordinate
all design and construction processes, including the selection,
hiring, and oversight of specialty trade contractors.
Construction managers are salaried or self-employed managers who
oversee construction supervisors and workers. They often go by the
job titles program manager, constructor, construction
superintendent, project engineer, project manager, construction
supervisor, general contractor, or similar designations.
Construction managers may be owners or salaried employees of a
construction management or contracting firm, or may work under
contract or as a salaried employee of the property owner, developer,
or contracting firm overseeing the construction project.
Construction managers coordinate and supervise the construction
process from the conceptual development stage through final
construction, making sure that the project gets done on time and
within budget. They often work with owners, engineers, architects,
and others who are involved in the construction process. Given the
designs for buildings, roads, bridges, or other projects,
construction managers oversee the planning, scheduling, and
implementation of the project to execute those designs.
Large construction projects, such as an office building or
industrial complex, are often too complicated for one person to
manage. Therefore, these projects are divided into many segments:
Site preparation, including land clearing and earth moving; sewage
systems; landscaping and road construction; building construction,
including excavation and laying of foundations and erection of the
structural framework, floors, walls, and roofs; and building
systems, including fire-protection, electrical, plumbing,
air-conditioning, and heating. Construction managers may be in
charge of one or more of these activities.
Construction managers evaluate and help determine appropriate
construction delivery systems and the most cost-effective plan and
schedule for completing the project. They divide all required
construction site activities into logical steps, budgeting the time
required to meet established deadlines. This may require
sophisticated estimating and scheduling techniques and use of
computers with specialized software. (See the section on cost estimators
elsewhere in the Handbook.)
Construction managers oversee the selection of general
contractors and trade contractors to complete specific pieces of the
project—which could include everything from structural metalworking
and plumbing to painting and carpet installation. Construction
managers determine the labor requirements and, in some cases,
supervise or monitor the hiring and dismissal of workers. They
oversee the performance of all trade contractors and are responsible
for ensuring that all work is completed on schedule.
Construction managers direct and monitor the progress of
construction activities, sometimes through construction supervisors
or other construction managers. They oversee the delivery and use of
materials, tools, and equipment; and the quality of construction,
worker productivity, and safety. They are responsible for obtaining
all necessary permits and licenses and, depending upon the
contractual arrangements, direct or monitor compliance with building
and safety codes and other regulations. And they continually track
and control construction costs to avoid cost overruns. They may
direct the work of several subordinates, such as assistant managers
or superintendents, field engineers, or crew supervisors.
Construction managers work out of a main office from which the
overall construction project is monitored, or out of a field office
at the construction site. Advances in telecommunications and
Internet access allow construction managers to be onsite without
being out of contact of the main office. Management decisions
regarding daily construction activities generally are made at the
jobsite. Managers may travel extensively when the construction site
is not close to their main office or when they are responsible for
activities at two or more sites. Management of overseas construction
projects usually entails temporary residence in another country.
Construction managers may be “on call”—often 24 hours a day—to
deal with delays, the effects of bad weather, or emergencies at the
site. Most work more than a standard 40-hour week because
construction may proceed around-the-clock. They may have to work
this type of schedule for days, even weeks, to meet special project
deadlines, especially if there are delays.
Although the work usually is not considered inherently dangerous,
construction managers must be careful while performing onsite
services.
Persons interested in becoming a construction manager need a
solid background in building science, business and management, as
well as related work experience within the construction industry.
They need to understand contracts, plans, and specifications, and to
be knowledgeable about construction methods, materials, and
regulations. Familiarity with computers and software programs for
job costing, online collaboration, scheduling, and estimating also
is important. The ability to converse fluently in Spanish is also an
asset because Spanish is the first language of many workers in the
construction industry.
Construction managers should be flexible and work effectively in
a fast-paced environment. They should be decisive and work well
under pressure, particularly when faced with unexpected occurrences
or delays. The ability to coordinate several major activities at
once, while analyzing and resolving specific problems, is essential,
as is an understanding of engineering, architectural, and other
construction drawings. Good oral and written communication skills
also are important, as are leadership skills. Managers must be able
to establish a good working relationship with many different people,
including owners, other managers, designers, supervisors, and
craftworkers.
For construction manager jobs, employers increasingly prefer to
hire individuals with a bachelor’s degree in construction science,
construction management, or civil engineering, as well as industry
work experience. Practical industry experience is very important,
whether it is acquired through an internship, a cooperative
education program, or work experience in a trade or another job in
the industry. Traditionally, persons advanced to construction
management positions after having substantial experience as
construction craftworkers—carpenters, masons, plumbers, or
electricians, for example—or after having worked as construction
supervisors or as owners of independent specialty contracting firms,
overseeing workers in one or more construction trades. However, as
construction processes become increasingly complex, employers are
placing a growing importance on postsecondary education.
Many colleges and universities offer 4-year degree programs in
construction management, construction science, and construction
engineering. These programs include courses in project control and
development, site planning, design, construction methods,
construction materials, value analysis, cost estimating, scheduling,
contract administration, accounting, business and financial
management, safety, building codes and standards, inspection
procedures, engineering and architectural sciences, mathematics,
statistics, and information technology. Graduates from 4-year degree
programs usually are hired as assistants to project managers, field
engineers, schedulers, or cost estimators. An increasing number of
graduates in related fields—engineering or architecture, for
example—also enter construction management, often after acquiring
substantial experience on construction projects or after completing
graduate studies in construction management or building science.
Several colleges and universities offer a master’s degree program
in construction management or construction science. Master’s degree
recipients, especially those with work experience in construction,
typically become construction managers in very large construction or
construction management companies. Often, individuals who hold a
bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field seek a master’s degree in
construction management or construction science in order to work in
the construction industry. Some construction managers obtain a
master’s degree in business administration or finance to further
their career prospects. Doctoral degree recipients usually become
college professors or conduct research.
Many individuals also attend training and educational programs
sponsored by industry associations, often in collaboration with
postsecondary institutions. A number of 2-year colleges throughout
the country offer construction management or construction technology
programs.
There is a growing movement towards certification of construction
managers to ensure that a construction manager has a certain body of
knowledge, abilities, and experience. Although certification is not
required to work in the construction industry, voluntary
certification can be valuable because it provides evidence of
competence and experience. Both the American Institute of
Constructors (AIC) and the Construction Management Association of
America (CMAA) have established voluntary certification programs for
construction managers. Requirements combine written examinations
with verification of education and professional experience. AIC
awards the Associate Constructor (AC) and Certified Professional
Constructor (CPC) designations to candidates who meet its
requirements and pass the appropriate construction examinations.
CMAA awards the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) designation to
practitioners who meet its requirements through work performed in a
construction management organization and by passing a technical
examination. Applicants for the CMAA certification also must
complete a self-study course that covers a broad range of topics
central to construction management, including the professional role
of a construction manager, legal issues, and allocation of risk.
Advancement opportunities for construction managers vary
depending upon an individual’s performance and the size and type of
company for which they work. Within large firms, managers may
eventually become top-level managers or executives. Highly
experienced individuals may become independent consultants; some
serve as expert witnesses in court or as arbitrators in disputes.
Those with the required capital may establish their own construction
management services, specialty contracting, or general contracting
firm.
Construction managers held 431,000 jobs in 2004. Over half were
self-employed, many as owners of general or specialty trade
construction firms. Most of the rest were employed in the
construction industry, 13 percent by specialty trade contractors—for
example, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning and electrical
contractors—and 18 percent by general building contractors. Others
were employed by architectural, engineering, and related services
firms and by local
governments.
Excellent employment opportunities for construction managers are
expected through 2014 because the number of job openings will exceed
the number of qualified individuals seeking to enter the occupation.
This situation is expected to continue even as college construction
management programs expand to meet the current high demand for
graduates. The construction industry often does not attract
sufficient numbers of qualified job seekers because it is often seen
as having poor working conditions.
Employment of construction managers is projected to increase about as fast
as average for all occupations through 2014. In addition to job
openings arising from employment growth, many additional openings
should result annually from the need to replace workers who transfer
to other occupations or who retire or leave the labor force for
other reasons. More construction managers will be needed as the
level of construction activity continues to grow. In addition,
opportunities will increase for construction managers to start their
own firms. However, employment of construction managers can be
sensitive to the short-term nature of many projects and to cyclical
fluctuations in construction activity.
The increasing complexity of construction projects is boosting
the demand for management-level personnel within the construction
industry. Sophisticated technology and the proliferation of laws
setting standards for buildings and construction materials, worker
safety, energy efficiency, and environmental protection have further
complicated the construction process. Advances in building materials
and construction methods; the need to replace portions the Nation’s
infrastructure; and the growing number of multipurpose buildings and
energy-efficient structures will further add to the demand for more
construction managers. More opportunities for construction managers
also will result from the need for greater cost control and
financial management of projects and to oversee the numerous
subcontractors being employed.
Prospects for individuals seeking construction manager jobs in
construction management, architectural and engineering services, and
construction contracting firms should be best for persons who have a
bachelor’s or higher degree in construction science, construction
management, or civil engineering—but also practical experience
working in construction. Employers will increasingly prefer
applicants with college degrees, previous construction work
experience, including internships, and a strong background in
building technology.
Earnings of salaried construction managers and self-employed
independent construction contractors vary depending upon the size
and nature of the construction project, its geographic location, and
economic conditions. In addition to typical benefits, many salaried
construction managers receive benefits such as bonuses and use of
company motor vehicles.
Median annual earnings of construction managers in May 2004 were
$69,870. The middle 50 percent earned between $53,430 and $92,350.
The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $42,120, and the highest
paid 10 percent earned more than $126,330. Median annual earnings in
the industries employing the largest numbers of construction
managers in 2004 were as follows:
Building equipment contractors
$72,560
Nonresidential building construction
71,700
Other specialty trade contractors
68,110
Residential building construction
67,190
Foundation, structure, and building exterior
contractors
64,250
According to a July 2005 salary survey by the National
Association of Colleges and Employers, candidates with a bachelor’s
degree in construction science/management received job offers
averaging $42,923 a year.
Suggested citation: Bureau of
Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Handbook, 2006-07 Edition,
Construction Managers, on the
Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos005.htm
(visited November 26, 2006).
U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics Office of Occupational Statistics and
Employment Projections Suite 2135 2 Massachusetts Avenue,
NE Washington, DC 20212-0001
