Construction Manager: Job Description & Career Requirements
Keep reading to learn what construction managers do. Learn about education and training requirements. Find out what the career outlook and earning potential are to decide if this field is right for you.
Career Definition for Construction Manager
Construction managers are often the lynch pin of construction projects. They are responsible for construction sites 24 hours a day. Common duties of construction managers include planning, directing, and coordinating activity on construction sites, overseeing project design, hiring and supervising workers, choosing contractors, and monitoring supplies. They are also responsible for preparing budgets and estimates, reporting progress to clients, and complying with legal requirements. Construction mangers do not typically do any of the actual construction.
Required Education | Bachelor’s degree in building science or civil engineering |
Necessary Skills | Management, communication, interpersonal skills |
Median Salary (2015)* | $87,400 |
Job Outlook (2014-2024)* | 5% |
*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Required Education
Increasingly, employers prefer candidates for construction management positions to have a bachelor’s degree in a field like building science or civil engineering and relevant work experience. Common courses in a relevant 4-year bachelor’s program include construction accounting, hazard management, green building, fundamentals of project management, project scheduling, construction law, and blue print reading. Increasingly, there has been a move towards certification for those working in construction management, though few require such a credential currently.
Skills Required
Construction managers must be able to easily give direction and delegate tasks. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are also critical to success in construction management. Exceptional managerial skills are also key.
Employment and Economic Outlook
The employment outlook for construction managers is expected to be good; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, www.bls.gov), projects that employment in this field will grow by 5% from 2014-2024. Median annual income for this field as of May 2015 was $87,400, according to the BLS.