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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real salary distribution from 288 tracked cities across 46 states. Compare entry-level, median, and senior compensation — then adjust for cost of living.
The highest-paying city might surprise you. The lowest-paying one probably won't. The national median salary for Construction Managers in 2026 is $120,676, with entry-level positions averaging $67,579 and senior roles reaching $187,048. But those numbers flatten a reality with enormous geographic variation — Sunnyvale pays a median of $220,480, while other markets fall well below the national average. We tracked 288 cities to build the complete picture.
Positioned in Management within the broader Leadership & Operations industry, Construction Managers typically hold Bachelor's + experience. The employment landscape is shaped by growing, and the day-to-day is on-site. Those factors — education investment, demand trajectory, and work structure — all feed into the salary numbers below.
$134,160 separates the highest and lowest-paying cities. A Construction Manager in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $220,480 — $134,160 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($86,320). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent. That salary-to-cost ratio is genuinely competitive.
Breaking down the numbers: entry-level Construction Managers average $67,579, the median sits at $120,676, and senior earners pull in $187,048. That $119,469 gap represents the full earning trajectory of this career. The median is $40,309 above the national median household income of $80,367 — meaning even a mid-career professional in this field outearns the typical American household.
Contrast that with the lowest-paying markets: The top 3 paying cities (Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Irvine) average $205,920 — while the bottom 3 (Toledo, Detroit, Akron) average $87,013. That $118,907 gap means choosing the right city could be the equivalent of a major promotion. Cost-adjusted, this occupation outearns its reputation.
A Construction Manager in Sunnyvale, California earns a median of $220,480 — $134,160 more than their counterpart in Toledo, Ohio ($86,320). That gap alone is more than many cities' annual rent.
The national average entry-level (P10) salary for Construction Manager is $67,579, while senior-level (P90) earners average $187,048. That $119,469 trajectory represents the earning growth a career in this field can deliver.
California pays the highest average median salary for Construction Managers at $146,094 across 61 tracked cities. The gap between #1 and #5 (New Jersey at $128,440) is $17,654.
At the 90th percentile, Construction Managers pull in an average of $187,048. In the top-paying markets, that figure climbs even higher — making this one of the more lucrative career trajectories in its field.
| Country | Coverage | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 288 | $67,579 | $120,676 | $187,048 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | £52,271 | £72,598 | £103,090 |
| Canada | 21 | CA$71,230 | CA$98,931 | CA$140,481 |
| Australia | 13 | A$85,822 | A$119,197 | A$169,260 |
| Sweden | 24 | 478,796 kr | 664,995 kr | 944,293 kr |
| State | Cities | Entry (P10) | Median | Senior (P90) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 61 | $81,813 | $146,094 | $226,446 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $79,061 | $141,180 | $218,829 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $78,624 | $140,400 | $217,620 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $72,800 | $130,000 | $201,500 |
| New Jersey | 4 | $71,926 | $128,440 | $199,082 |
| Washington | 8 | $70,543 | $125,970 | $195,254 |
| New York | 5 | $66,393 | $118,560 | $183,768 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | $66,394 | $118,560 | $183,768 |
| Florida | 22 | $65,891 | $117,662 | $182,376 |
| Colorado | 11 | $64,752 | $115,629 | $179,225 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $64,646 | $115,440 | $178,932 |
| Nevada | 5 | $64,530 | $115,232 | $178,610 |
| Arizona | 12 | $64,210 | $114,660 | $177,723 |
| Oregon | 5 | $64,064 | $114,400 | $177,320 |
| Idaho | 3 | $63,870 | $114,053 | $176,783 |
| Connecticut | 5 | $63,365 | $113,152 | $175,386 |
| Utah | 4 | $63,190 | $112,840 | $174,902 |
| Virginia | 7 | $62,150 | $110,983 | $172,023 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $61,346 | $109,547 | $169,797 |
| Alaska | 1 | $61,152 | $109,200 | $169,260 |
| Illinois | 5 | $60,453 | $107,952 | $167,326 |
| North Carolina | 9 | $58,952 | $105,271 | $163,170 |
| New Mexico | 3 | $58,240 | $104,000 | $161,200 |
| Montana | 1 | $58,240 | $104,000 | $161,200 |
| Tennessee | 6 | $58,046 | $103,653 | $160,663 |
| Texas | 40 | $57,760 | $103,142 | $159,870 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $57,658 | $102,960 | $159,588 |
| Wisconsin | 2 | $57,367 | $102,440 | $158,782 |
| Georgia | 6 | $57,172 | $102,093 | $158,245 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $57,075 | $101,920 | $157,976 |
| Kansas | 4 | $56,784 | $101,400 | $157,170 |
| Michigan | 6 | $56,590 | $101,053 | $156,633 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $55,911 | $99,840 | $154,752 |
| Maryland | 1 | $55,910 | $99,840 | $154,752 |
| Nebraska | 2 | $55,328 | $98,800 | $153,140 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $55,328 | $98,800 | $153,140 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $53,872 | $96,200 | $149,110 |
| North Dakota | 1 | $53,581 | $95,680 | $148,304 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $52,853 | $94,380 | $146,289 |
| Missouri | 4 | $52,853 | $94,380 | $146,289 |
| Alabama | 5 | $52,649 | $94,016 | $145,725 |
| Indiana | 3 | $51,834 | $92,560 | $143,468 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $51,834 | $92,560 | $143,468 |
| Iowa | 2 | $51,251 | $91,520 | $141,856 |
| Ohio | 6 | $51,154 | $91,347 | $141,587 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $48,922 | $87,360 | $135,408 |
Geography shapes Construction Manager pay in predictable and not-so-predictable ways. California tops the state leaderboard at $146,094 median, with 61 cities providing data. Massachusetts and Hawaii follow. On the flip side, Mississippi and Ohio anchor the bottom — reflecting lower local cost structures and smaller metro premiums.
When you adjust the top-paying cities for cost of living, the ranking reshuffles. Sunnyvale ($220,480 nominal, 212 cost index) delivers $104,000 in purchasing power — maintaining its lead even after cost adjustment. This is the metric that matters for anyone considering a geo-based career move.
Raw salary divided by the local cost index — this shows where your paycheck buys the most.
| # | City | Nominal Salary | Cost Index | Adjusted Salary | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunnyvale California | $220,480 | 212 | $104,000 | $126,049 |
| 2 | Santa Clara California | $205,920 | 198 | $104,000 | $119,199 |
| 3 | Irvine California | $191,360 | 184 | $104,000 | $112,301 |
| 4 | San Francisco California | $188,240 | 181 | $104,000 | $110,584 |
| 5 | Carlsbad California | $185,120 | 178 | $104,000 | $108,866 |
| 6 | San Jose California | $184,080 | 177 | $104,000 | $108,294 |
| 7 | Fremont California | $184,080 | 177 | $104,000 | $108,294 |
| 8 | Berkeley California | $179,920 | 173 | $104,000 | $106,003 |
| 9 | Costa Mesa California | $179,920 | 173 | $104,000 | $106,003 |
| 10 | Huntington Beach California | $175,760 | 169 | $104,000 | $103,713 |
From a career planning perspective, Construction Manager offers a $119,469 earning range. The 2.8× multiplier from entry to senior makes this a field where longevity pays off. The typical entry requires Bachelor's + experience. Day-to-day, expect on-site work environments. With data from 288 cities, the geographic flexibility is substantial — this career travels well.
The weighted national median salary for Construction Managers is $120,676 in 2026, based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics across 288 U.S. metro areas. Entry-level (10th percentile) averages $67,579, while experienced professionals at the 90th percentile average $187,048.
The highest-paying city for Construction Managers is Sunnyvale, California with a median salary of $220,480. The top 3 cities are Sunnyvale ($220,480), Santa Clara ($205,920), Irvine ($191,360). Note: high-paying cities often have higher costs of living — check the cost-adjusted rankings above for purchasing power.
The lowest median Construction Manager salary in our data is in Toledo, Ohio at $86,320. However, lower-paying cities often have significantly lower costs of living, which can offset the pay gap. Always compare salary data alongside local cost of living.
Entry-level Construction Managers (10th percentile) average $67,579 nationally. This varies by city — in the highest-paying markets, entry-level pay can be close to $123,469. Experience, certifications, and employer type all influence starting salary.
At the 90th percentile (senior level), Construction Managers average $187,048 nationally — $119,469 more than entry-level. In top-paying cities, senior Construction Managers can earn up to $341,744.
The top-paying states for Construction Managers are California ($146,094 median), Massachusetts ($141,180 median), Hawaii ($140,400 median). State averages are computed across all tracked cities in each state, weighted equally.
The typical education path for a Construction Manager involves Bachelor's + experience. The field is in the Leadership & Operations sector (Management), and the career outlook is growing. Work style is typically on-site.
With a national median of $120,676 and representation across 288 metro areas, Construction Manager offers above-average earning potential compared to national household income. The $119,469 gap between entry and senior pay shows room for salary growth. Industry outlook: growing.
All salary data on this page is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan areas. We present 10th percentile (entry), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks. Cost-of-living adjustments use our core database of 288 cities.
Salary data is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, which surveys employers across U.S. metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. We present the 10th percentile (entry-level), 50th percentile (median), and 90th percentile (senior) pay benchmarks.
Cost-of-living adjustments use Livably's core index derived from Zillow rent data, Census income surveys, and regional BLS price data. Take-home pay estimates apply simplified federal brackets, 7.65% FICA, and state income tax rates from the Tax Foundation.
State and national averages are computed as simple means across all tracked cities with data for this occupation. Rankings are updated monthly as new BLS releases become available.