Construction Project Manager
Construction, Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Quick Links
Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
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 8,600 construction project managers in New York State who earn wages or salaries from employers. Opportunities for employment are expected to be favorable through 2028 – the Department projects this occupation to grow by 1,860 jobs (including self-employed workers) between 2018 and 2028.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 $125,200. Entry-level workers earn about $78,900, and experienced workers earn about $174,000.Annual Wage (Q1 2021 dollars, rounded to 100s) – Statewide and by Labor Market Region
Region | Entry | Median | Experienced | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New York State | $78,900 | $125,200 | $174,000 | |||
Capital Region | $70,800 | $85,900 | $109,400 | |||
Central New York | $71,200 | $93,700 | $120,100 | |||
Finger Lakes | $72,200 | $99,700 | $116,800 | |||
Hudson Valley | $107,600 | $156,500 | $192,200 | |||
Long Island | $94,900 | $138,400 | $184,800 | |||
Mohawk Valley | $61,400 | $85,300 | $133,300 | |||
New York City | $79,500 | $131,900 | $185,500 | |||
North Country | $68,600 | $92,600 | $105,800 | |||
Southern Tier | $65,000 | $81,800 | $113,100 | |||
Western New York | $67,300 | $98,000 | $121,000 |
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 2020 are listed below.Capital Region
- American Energy Care
- ABCO Facility Maintenance
- Albany Housing Authority
Central New York (All ads posted in 2020 were from two employers.)
- One70 Group
- Kimmel & Associates
Finger Lakes
- One70 Group
- EMCOR Facilities Services Incorporated
- Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Rochester NY
Hudson Valley (All ads posted in 2020 were from two employers.)
- Rishabh RPO
- Willdan
Long Island
- EMCOR Group
- Transform SR LLC
- Global Facility Management & Construction, Inc.
Mohawk Valley (Employers did not post any job ads online in 2020.)
New York City
- One70 Group
- Johnson Controls Incorporated
- Aramark
North Country (Employers did not post any job ads online in 2020.)
Southern Tier
- One70 Group
- Siemens
- Visions Federal Credit Union
Western New York
- One70 Group
- PCS Plumbing & Heating
- Stellar
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 | • | 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 | • | 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 | |||
Cazenovia College | Business and Management | No | No | •Yes | No | No | |||
Le Moyne College | Madden School of Business | No | No | •Yes | •Yes | No | |||
Onondaga Community College | School of Business | No | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
Onondaga Community College | School of Computing & Applied Technologies (Building Trades & Architectural Technology) | No | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
SUNY College at Oswego | School of Business | No | No | •Yes | • | No | |||
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry | Construction Management | No | No | •Yes | No | No | |||
SUNY Morrisville | Business and Hospitality, Design and Engineering, & Renewable Energy | No | •Yes | •Yes | No | No | |||
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 | No | No | |||
Monroe Community College | Business Administration | No | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
Rochester Institute of Technology | Saunders College of Business | No | No | •Yes | •Yes | 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 | •Yes | •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 | • | • | 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 | |||
Nassau County Community College | Business & Engineering, Physics, and Technology | •Yes | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
St. Joseph’s College | Business Administration and Management | •Yes | No | •Yes | •Yes | 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 | •Yes | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
Hartwick College | Business Administration | No | No | •Yes | 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 | No | No | |||
SUNY Polytechnic Institute | Business | No | No | •Yes | •Yes | No | |||
Utica College | Business and Economics | No | No | •Yes | •Yes | No | |||
Utica College | 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 College | Business Administration and Management | • | No | •Yes | •Yes | ||||
North Country | |||||||||
Clinton Community College | Business | •Yes | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
Jefferson Community College | Business | No | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
St. Lawrence University | Business in the Liberal Arts | No | No | •Yes | 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 | • | |||
Ithaca College | School of Business | No | No | •Yes | •Yes | 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 | No | •Yes | •Yes | No | No | |||
SUNY at Delhi | School of Business and Hospitality Management | 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 | No | No | |||
Erie Community College | Business & Construction | • | •Yes | No | No | No | |||
Jamestown Business College | Programs of Study | No | No | •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 |