Construction Project Manager

Construction, Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

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At-a-glance

Required Education, Credentials, and Licenses

Postsecondary degree or equivalent experience
Construction knowledge (methods, materials, cost estimation)
Valid New York State driver’s license (if travel required)

Skills

Interpret construction specifications and drawings
Project management (budgeting, scheduling, delegating)
Planning
Analytical
Organization
Decision-making
Contract negotiation
Teamwork and collaboration
Oral and written communication
Customer service
Leadership

Description

Construction project managers direct and supervise all phases of construction projects to ensure they finish on-time and under budget. They need excellent project management and risk management skills to effectively plan new construction or retrofit projects and evaluate and monitor progress, ensuring that quality and safety standards are met.

Construction project managers review and interpret project documents such as specifications, plans, drawings, equipment manuals, and safety procedures, and they use that information to determine schedules and budgets for new projects, negotiate contracts with vendors and clients, and allocate resources. They successfully coordinate work across the team through effectively communicating and delegating; collaborating with engineers and architects; finding, hiring, and managing the right subcontractors; supervising construction laborers; and offering guidance. Construction project managers should have strong analytical skills to accurately track costs and assess project progression, and they should apply good judgment to adjust the project plan if necessary.

Organizational skills help construction project managers successfully develop project processes and quality control documentation. Project managers are also responsible for coordinating required inspections with government authorities, and some project managers oversee multiple projects concurrently. Construction project managers need to be effective writers to draft scopes of work and project reports, and they should be comfortable using computers to perform their job duties. In addition, being customer service-oriented contributes to positive work relationships.

Construction project managers spend most of their time working at construction sites. Some even need to temporarily relocate during a project. They are typically employed full-time and sometimes work overtime to meet deadlines.

Job Outlook

According to the New York State Department of Labor, there are approximately 6,300 construction project managers in New York State who earn wages or salaries from employers. Opportunities for employment are expected to be favorable through 2030 – the Department projects this occupation to grow by 3,180 jobs (including self-employed workers) between 2020 and 2030.

Entering the Field

Construction project managers typically need to have both a degree in construction engineering (or a related field) and construction experience. A degree in business and knowledge of construction methods can also qualify someone to work as a construction project manager. While an associate degree accompanied by some work experience may be sufficient for positions that manage small projects, large construction firms often require a bachelor’s degree. Those with only a high school diploma and several years of work experience may also qualify for the job, yet they more often work as self-employed contractors.

Construction project managers may need a valid driver’s license to travel to worksites. New York State does not require construction project managers to be licensed, but local governments may have their own regulations requiring that they be licensed or registered. Check with local government authorities to confirm the requirements to work as a construction project manager.

Wages

In New York State, the median wage for construction managers is approximately $128,700. Entry-level workers earn about $86,100, and experienced workers earn about $184,800.

Annual Wage (Q1 2023 dollars, rounded to 100s) – Statewide and by Labor Market Region

Region	Entry	Median	Experienced
New York State	$86,100	$128,700	$184,800
Capital Region	$80,000	$110,400	$169,500
Central New York	$75,000	$103,000	$138,500
Finger Lakes	$73,500	$104,800	$147,000
Hudson Valley	$89,800	$128,200	$180,600
Long Island	$93,700	$132,000	$173,800
Mohawk Valley	$65,700	$98,800	$134,200
New York City	$92,600	$157,600	$207,200
North Country	$61,800	$95,000	$117,100
Southern Tier	$68,300	$97,200	$122,400
Western New York	$72,000	$100,600	$137,700

Source: New York State Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey, SOC Code 11-9021 (Construction Managers)

Employers

The largest employer of construction project managers in New York State are nonresidential building construction companies. Building equipment contractors (which includes HVAC/R contractors) and local government are also common employers for construction project managers.

The top three employers with the most online job advertisements that referenced HVAC/R work for construction project managers in each region in 2022 are listed below.

Capital Region

Johnson Controls
Albany Housing Authority
VP Supply Corp

Central New York

Johnson Controls
Advantage Engineers
Jacobs

Finger Lakes

Christa Construction
VP Supply Corp
WSP Global

Hudson Valley (All ads posted in 2022 were from a single employer.)

Long Island

Johnson Controls
The PAR Group
Electronic Environments Corporation

Mohawk Valley (Employers did not post any job ads online in 2022.)

New York City

One70 Group
McCloud Group
Ramboll

North Country (Employers did not post any job ads online in 2022.)

Southern Tier (All ads posted in 2022 were from a single employer.)

J & K Plumbing & Heating

Western New York

Delaware North
WSP Global
Gilbane Building Company

Source: Lightcast™. 2022.

Labor Unions

Check with government agencies, construction contractors, or other companies that hire construction project managers to see if those positions are represented by a union contract, or check with local union chapters that are active in construction and HVAC/R to see if their members include construction project managers.

Education and Training Programs

A variety of educational programs may prepare workers to become construction project managers in the HVAC/R field – from a certificate or associate degree focused on construction engineering technology or business to a bachelor’s degree in construction management or business. Some of the largest programs in New York State (based on number of degrees awarded) are shown in the table below.

Educational Institution	Department	Certificate	Associate	Bachelor	Master	PhD
Capital Region
Excelsior College	Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No
Hudson Valley Community College	Business and Criminal Justice	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Hudson Valley Community College	Engineering, Architecture, Construction, Computer Science and Mathematics	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY at Albany	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY Empire State College	School of Business	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No
Central New York
Bryant & Stratton College-Syracuse North	Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Cayuga County Community College	School of Business	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Le Moyne College	Madden School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Onondaga Community College	School of Arts, Communication, Business & Entrepreneurship	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Onondaga Community College	School of Technology, Engineering & Computing	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY College at Oswego	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry	Construction Management	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Syracuse University	Whitman School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes Community College	Business and Technology	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Genesee Community College	Business & Commerce	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Keuka College	Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Monroe Community College	Business Administration	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Monroe Community College	Engineering Technologies	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY College at Brockport	School of Business & Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College at Geneseo	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
Hudson Valley
Dutchess Community College	Business, Aviation, and Construction Professions	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Marist College	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Mercy College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Mount Saint Mary College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Orange County Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY Westchester Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Sullivan County Community College	Sustainability and Business & Entrepreneurship	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Long Island
Farmingdale State College	School of Business	•Yes	No	•Yes	No	No
Farmingdale State College	Architecture and Construction	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Five Towns College	Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Long Island University	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Nassau County Community College	Business & Engineering, Physics, and Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Stony Brook University	College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Suffolk County Community College	Business & Construction Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Mohawk Valley
Fulton-Montgomery Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Herkimer County Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Mohawk Valley Community College	School of Business and Hospitality	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill	Business Administration	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY Polytechnic Institute	Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Utica University	Business and Economics	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Utica University	Construction Management	No	No	•Yes	No	No
New York City
Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY)	Business Management	No	•Yes	No	No	No
CUNY Brooklyn College	Business Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
LaGuardia Community College (CUNY)	Business and Technology	No	•Yes	No	No	No
Lehman College (CUNY)	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
New York City College of Technology (CUNY)	School of Technology & Design	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
New York University	Stern School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Queensborough Community College (CUNY)	Business Academy	No	•Yes	No	No	No
St. Joseph’s University	Business Administration and Marketing	•Yes	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
North Country
Clarkson University	David D. Reh School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Clinton Community College	Business	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Jefferson Community College	Business	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY College at Plattsburgh	School of Business & Economics	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College at Potsdam	Business Administration	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY College of Technology at Canton	Canino School of Engineering Technology	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY College of Technology at Canton	School of Business and Liberal Arts	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Southern Tier
Binghamton University	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes
Ithaca College	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
SUNY Broome Community College	Business and Professional Studies	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY Corning Community College	Business and Finance	No	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY at Delhi	School of Applied Technologies and Architecture	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY at Delhi	School of Veterinary Science and Professional Studies	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Tompkins Cortland Community College	Business Administration & Construction and Environmental Technology	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Western New York
Bryant & Stratton College	Business	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Erie Community College	Business & Construction	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Jamestown Business College	Programs of Study	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Niagara County Community College	Business & STEM	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
SUNY at Alfred	Building Trades & Business	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
SUNY Buffalo State	Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
SUNY at Fredonia	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	No	No
University at Buffalo	School of Management	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes

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