Construction Project Directors are in high demand – with plenty of advanced skills and experience, project directors are constantly learning, interacting with all sorts of people, and often taking on more responsibilities than even construction managers. In addition to developing skills relevant to the construction industry, construction project directors strengthen transferrable skills that can help them in any leadership position.
Demand for Construction Project Director is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, significantly faster than the average for occupations within the construction industry. The strong demand is a big reason for Construction Project Director salary being one of the highest in the field.
This is a critical role in the construction industry, and requires excellent leadership, management, and organizational skills. Here are some other helpful skills for the project director role:
- Monitoring build progress, overseeing finance and ensuring project quality
- Following up with vendors to ensure timely delivery of materials and services
- Meeting regularly with owners and stakeholders to discuss project status and resolve issues and conflicts
- Coordinating with architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and other staff members
- Able to work in a fast-paced, time sensitive, team environment.
Construction Project Director Salary Ranges According to Experience and Location
While salary may not be the only reason a great candidate takes on the role of Construction Project Director, it still remains very relevant for construction leaders in their job search. Quite frankly, leaders applying for this role know their worth and the impact they can make on the success of a project. To ensure they meet their desired salary goals, many candidates are willing to relocate to a different state. It is critical to be informed about salaries across the country and the salary that candidates are looking to achieve.
Construction project director salaries vary depending on the geographic location and other factors. Below is a closer look at construction project director salary ranges and how firms can remain competitive.
Project Executive/Construction Project Director Salary Ranges
| Region | 20th Percentile | 80th Percentile | Mean | Median |
| Midwest | $132.68 | $181.59 | $165.62 | $165.07 |
| Mid-Atlantic | $138.98 | $199.02 | $176.08 | $175.85 |
| Northeast | $162.37 | $238.70 | $209.48 | $205.09 |
| Northwest | $147.64 | $201.26 | $181.15 | $177.77 |
| Southeast | $136.62 | $197.22 | $173.39 | $170.24 |
| Southwest | $131.44 | $189.47 | $165.62 | $165.40 |
*salaries do not reflect bonuses
**Percentile multiplied by $1000 reflects annual salary
Project Executive/Project Director are typically responsible for projects in the range of $100 million to $250 Million. Most have a minimum of 10 to 15 years’ experience. Job responsibilities are similar to Senior Project Manager, but with increased responsibility. Managing budgets, timeline, increasing staff levels, and project complexities vary greatly when projects exceed the $100 million mark—requiring a specialized skillset, and a superior ability to manage multiple aspects of the project at once.
Project Director/ Executive II Salary Ranges
| Region | 20th Percentile | 80th Percentile | Mean | Median |
| Midwest | $163.04 | $223.53 | $201.06 | $199.35 |
| Mid-Atlantic | $182.49 | $246.58 | $223.53 | $224.32 |
| Northeast | $195.99 | $284.02 | $252.54 | $240.28 |
| Northwest | $182.72 | $241.85 | $217.92 | $220.95 |
| Southeast | $169.33 | $238.83 | $214.66 | $211.39 |
| Southwest | $177.65 | $232.52 | $208.25 | $210.93 |
*salaries do not reflect bonuses
**Percentile multiplied by $1000 reflects annual salary
Project Director/Executive II are typically responsible for projects in excess of $250 million. Most have a minimum of 20 years’ experience. Job responsibilities are similar to Project Executive, but with increased levels of management and executive decision-making skills. Project Directors often have a junior team who is responsible for smaller segments of the project. However, the Project Director’s responsibility is to manage the ‘big picture’ or the entire project, including multiple budgets, timelines, connected relationships, and extended complexities of their high-budget project.
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This is an exciting time in the world of construction. With this rapid turnaround over the past few years, many construction general contractors are being forced to reevaluate their construction salaries to stay competitive. We have compiled data from 4600+ individual construction management interviews performed by our staff.
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