Facilities Manager

Construction, Installation, Maintenance, and Repair

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At-a-glance

Required Education, Credentials, and Licenses

High school diploma or GED
3-5 years of experience
Valid New York State driver’s license (if travel required)

Preferred Education and Credentials

Bachelor’s degree
6+ years of experience
International Facility Management Association certification

Skills

Organizational
Planning
Problem-solving
Detail-oriented
Analytical
Management (e.g., budgeting, scheduling, hiring/training staff)
Leadership
Communication
Teamwork

Description

Facilities managers supervise and manage the maintenance of commercial properties (including building systems) to make sure the buildings operate smoothly and adhere to health and safety regulations.

In addition to providing inspections of facilities and equipment, facilities managers schedule preventive maintenance, oversee repair and renovations, and manage daily facility operations. They also ensure that there is a sufficient inventory of equipment and supplies needed for maintenance. They oversee purchasing of materials and keep accurate records. Facilities managers may plan the use of space in the building and assist with renovation projects or developing initiatives that improve operating efficiency. They are responsible for budgeting, managing maintenance contracts with external vendors, and hiring and training internal staff. In order for facilities managers to successfully carry out these tasks, they need strong organizational and planning skills, need to be detail-oriented, and have an aptitude for problem solving.

Competent facilities managers demonstrate qualities of an effective leader. Listening and communication skills are essential to understanding and exchanging information with building occupants, team members, and vendors. Facilities managers need to be able to set goals, coordinate tasks, delegate work, and motivate their team. They should be prepared to think and analyze information quickly and make optimal decisions to improve operational efficiency.

Facility managers typically work onsite at the buildings in which they oversee maintenance and service. Most facilities managers work on a full-time basis, they are often required to be on call for emergencies, and they may work overtime.

Job Outlook

According to the New York State Department of Labor, there are approximately 19,600 administrative services and facilities managers in New York State. Facilities managers account for about 7,900 of those jobs. Opportunities for employment are expected to be very favorable through 2030 – the Department projects those occupations to collectively grow by 4,130 jobs between 2020 and 2030.

Entering the Field

Facilities managers need to have at least a high school diploma, though nearly 76% of facilities managers in New York State have taken at least some college coursework. Therefore, postsecondary study in facilities management, business, or a related field is beneficial. Many employers in New York State are interested in hiring candidates with a bachelor’s degree. Some jobs may be available to candidates with limited experience, but most employers seek candidates with three to five years of prior work involving building repair and maintenance, HVAC/R or other building systems, business processes, and/or management or supervision. Some employers prefer candidates with even more experience. For example, in 2022, 16% of online job advertisements for facilities managers (whose role would include HVAC/R work) in New York State sought candidates with six or more years of experience.

Licenses and certifications are typically not required to work as facilities managers, but employers may be interested in candidates with certain industry-specific credentials. The International Facility Management Association offers opportunities to earn credentials as a Certified Facility Manager, Facility Management Professional, or Sustainability Facility Professional. Some employers may also require facilities managers to have a valid driver’s license. Check with local employers that hire facilities managers and in online job advertisements to see which of these credentials are in-demand in your area.

Wages

In New York State, the median wage for facilities managers is approximately $119,800. Entry-level workers earn about $76,500 and experienced workers earn about $155,300.

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

Region	Entry	Median	Experienced
New York State	$76,500	$119,800	$155,300
Capital Region	$67,000	$104,400	$138,200
Central New York	$68,200	$98,100	$130,900
Finger Lakes	$71,300	$104,200	$134,200
Hudson Valley	$82,000	$129,000	$159,600
Long Island	$82,700	$127,300	$156,500
Mohawk Valley	$68,900	$93,100	$121,800
New York City	$82,500	$130,600	$168,700
North Country	$62,700	$94,400	$117,400
Southern Tier	$69,600	$107,100	$142,000
Western New York	$68,300	$102,100	$127,400

Source: New York State Department of Labor, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Survey, SOC Code 11-3013 (Facilities Managers)

Employers

Institutions such as hospitals and schools are among the largest employers of facilities managers. Real estate companies that develop, own, or manage commercial properties also hire facilities managers, and they are among the companies with the most online job postings in 2022 that specifically referenced HVAC/R work in their ads.

The top three employers with the most online job advertisements in each region in 2022 are listed below.

Capital Region

Hudson Valley Community College
Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated
Commission On Economic Opportunity for the Greater Capital Region, Inc.

Central New York

Syracuse University
Onondaga County
SUNY Upstate Medical University

Finger Lakes

Allendale Columbia School
L3Harris Technologies
Crothall Healthcare

Hudson Valley

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Materion
Sodexo

Long Island

Stony Brook University (SUNY)
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Farmingdale State College (SUNY)

Mohawk Valley

SUNY at Oneonta
The Arc, Oneida-Lewis Chapter
GPO Federal Credit Union

New York City

Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated
Breaking Ground
Motivate

North Country

Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
Koch Industries
Sodexo

Southern Tier

Cornell University
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Cayuga Medical Center

Western New York

Delaware North
Clover Management
Elderwood

Source: Lightcast™. 2022.

Labor Unions

Check with companies, institutions, or government agencies that hire facilities managers to see if those positions are represented by a union contract, or check with local union chapters active in the HVAC/R field to see if their members include facilities managers.

Education and Training Programs

There are only a few schools in New York State that offer education programs in facilities management, but a variety of business programs can also prepare workers to become facilities managers in the HVAC/R field – from a certificate or associate degree to a bachelor’s degree. Some of the largest programs (based on number of degrees awarded) are shown in the table below. This occupation typically does not require an advanced degree, but workers with a master’s degree may not be required to have as many years of experience as those with an undergraduate degree or field experience.

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
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
SUNY College at Oswego	School of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	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
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
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	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Stony Brook University	College of Business	No	No	•Yes	•Yes	No
Suffolk County Community College	Business	•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
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	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 Veterinary Science and Professional Studies (incl. business programs)	No	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Tompkins Cortland Community College	Business Administration	•Yes	•Yes	No	No	No
Western New York
Bryant & Stratton College	Business	•Yes	•Yes	•Yes	No	No
Erie Community College	Business & Building Management	•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	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

Career Opportunities
in HVAC/R

Career Opportunities in HVAC/R