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.
Nature of the Work
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.
Working Conditions
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.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
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.
Employment
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.
Job Outlook
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
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.
