The demand for construction leadership positions, especially project managers, has increased steadily over the past few months. As a result, many hiring managers are choosing to work with search firms that specialize in the construction niche to help them find the best talent. Project managers play an essential part in the success of a construction company. When a construction company doesn’t have a talented project manager, they generally experience more employee turnover and higher hiring costs. If a company has an excellent project manager, it helps insure sure their company maintains healthy relationships with their clients and increase their project success rate. Here are the skills and experience it takes to become a project manager along with construction project manager salary ranges. Construction Project Engineer salary ranges and Construction Assistant Project Manager Salary ranges are also included.
When it comes to construction project managers, general contractors want candidates that have the following skills and expertise:
- Planning and Forecasting – Successful project managers need to know how to accurately assess how long a project will take and how much it will cost using scheduling and cost estimation software.
- Managing Resources – One of the most important responsibilities of project managers is allocating labor and materials so there are no surpluses or shortages. Misallocated resources tend to negatively affect deadlines and budgets.
- Staffing – Project managers will make sure that the teams are sufficiently and consistently staffed and make sure each team is completing their projects successfully.
- Progress Oversight – Project managers observe the progress of the products they manage and address any changes or challenges that come up.
- Budgeting – They work closely with project stakeholder, architects, and engineers to create a budget that makes sense for the project.
- Assigning and Delegation – Skilled project managers keep track of each team member’s strengths and weaknesses to they can assign tasks to people in a way that aligns with their strong points.
- Clear Communication – As with all leadership positions, excellent communication skills are the key to success.
Companies that have trouble hiring and retaining candidates for leadership roles should consider how competitive their salaries are and see if there is way to improve compensation to make themselves stand out.
Avoiding quick fixes is important. If compensation and benefits aren’t generous enough, retention will always be an issue. Companies that put effort into creating a quality retention program will be able to keep a competitive edge against other construction firms because they will end up building teams that will reinforce long-term business goals. Here are the salary ranges for Project Managers around the country.
Construction Project Engineer Salary Ranges and
Construction Assistant Project Manager Salary Ranges
| Region | 20th Percentile | 80th Percentile | Mean | Median |
| Midwest | $69.18 | $96.32 | $86.76 | $86.76 |
| Mid-Atlantic | $75.46 | $106.71 | $94.88 | $91.29 |
| Northeast | $74.74 | $118.63 | $101.77 | $98.79 |
| Northwest | $79.98 | $106.91 | $68.88 | $96.43 |
| Southeast | $72.47 | $97.25 | $88.82 | $86.56 |
| Southwest | $74.74 | $98.38 | $91.49 | $90.05 |
*salaries do not reflect bonuses
Project Engineer/Assistant Project Manager is typically responsible for projects in the range of $5 to $15 million. Most have a minimum of 3 years’ experience. They often work as the lowest level of the project management team, and are responsible for the overall direction, supervision, and daily operations of the project. They are often the touchpoint between multiple parties, including subcontractors, owners, unions, and other key members of the construction team.
Construction Project Manager Salary
| Region | 20th Percentile | 80th Percentile | Mean | Median |
| Midwest | $87.07 | $119.76 | $108.45 | $106.81 |
| Mid-Atlantic | $86.25 | $125.62 | $110.20 | $106.09 |
| Northeast | $96.63 | $146.39 | $126.14 | $125.72 |
| Northwest | $94.16 | $130.25 | $115.65 | $113.18 |
| Southeast | $86.66 | $119.04 | $107.63 | $104.75 |
| Southwest | $89.64 | $119.35 | $108.87 | $107.01 |
*salaries do not reflect bonuses
Project Manager is typically responsible for projects in the range of $10 to $49 million. Most have between 5 and 10 years’ experience. Job responsibilities are somewhat similar to Project Engineer, with an increased level of accountability regarding the operation priorities, timeline, direction, and financial outcome.
The construction salary data generated above is compiled from multiple industry and salary sources, coupled with real-time data compiled by The Birmingham Group. As one of the leading recruiters in the nation, construction executive search firm, The Birmingham Group, interviews over 300 construction professionals each week.
Are Your Construction Salaries Competitive?
Get Our Construction Salary Survey
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.
Sign up to receive this exclusive construction salary report from The Birmingham Group. We’ll deliver the report directly to your inbox.
