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Construction management is a non-conventional career path that might not suit everyone. To answer the question, we asked many construction managers a series of questions to determine if construction management is a good career. Here is the short answer:

Construction management is a high-reward, high-commitment job. This career path is usually not recommended for people looking for a normal 9-5 job. Because for construction managers to be successful, they must be willing to work long hours, have excellent attention to detail and be able to manage people and themselves effectively. Financially construction management pays well, but much stress and effort are required for such a highly demanding career path.

For those who want a more thorough answer, we asked many construction managers to give us detailed insights into what it looks like working as a construction manager. Detailed long explanation below.

Table of Contents

Is Construction Management A Good Career? The Long Answer

What are construction managers’ work hours?

In a study we did, we asked 80 construction managers how many hours they worked and how much stress they experienced in their careers.

We found that this career path is usually not recommended for someone looking for a normal 9-5 job. Depending on the workload, construction managers, on average, work more than 40 hours a week, usually around 48 to 50 hours a week. Some work during weekends and even at night, depending on the construction project.

The construction industry is very harsh. It is time demanding and quite stressful. It is no wonder that successful project managers working in construction need to be also tough to manage projects.

See the link to the full article: We asked 80 project managers: how many hours they work.

How stressful is construction management?

Stress is quite high as construction managers are committed to project timelines and ensure that projects are executed according to design standards and engineers’ requirements.

This requires construction managers to have high attention to detail and be able to manage people effectively within their team to get things done.

This means communication skills are the number one skill in this job, followed by leadership, financial, and technical skills.

Read the construction manager’s responsibilities and daily tasks to learn more.

Are construction managers well paid?

We have also seen a high level of satisfaction in this field. This has to do with the high salary. With the majority making over six figures with an average of $101,700 in the US.

We have surveyed project managers’ salaries and how much they make at different stages in their careers. To see the results read: We Asked 80 Project Managers: What Is Their Annual Salary?

Are construction managers happy? Is The Job Satisfying?

Working in construction is very satisfying, especially if you work on big projects that are done on a large scale.

We gathered those results by asking 80 construction managers. See the full article here: We asked 80 Construction Managers If They Are Happy?

Are construction managers in demand?

In general, demand for construction is always high, especially in the US, Canada, the UK, China and Australia.

This means there will always be demand for construction managers to manage and finish those jobs.

In fact, it is predicted that demand for construction management jobs will increase by 7% in 2031, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; see the full article here.

This means that the future is bright for construction management careers.

What degree do you need to become a construction manager?

To become a construction manager, your best bet is to get a civil engineering degree; this way, you can manage projects and use your technical background when executing projects, reading engineering drawings, and dealing with engineers.

Your alternatives to civil engineering are getting a project management degree or a diploma in construction management. However, you are more likely to get more job offers if you have a civil engineering degree, especially if you want to work for big construction and engineering companies.

A construction management degree only teaches you the project management side, such as budgeting, forecasting and managing projects financially. Still, it will not teach you the technical knowledge that a civil engineering degree possesses.

You can also work as a construction manager if you come from a mechanical and industrial engineering background. Not many we know in the industry are from such backgrounds, so getting a construction management job with those degrees is very difficult.

It is also possible to work as a construction manager with no degree. However, your options will be very limited as most companies would rather see some higher education background. Many become project managers that way by gaining experience with smaller companies and slowly moving to bigger ones.

The Verdict: How do I know if construction management is for me?

Construction management is a high-demand career; you can find work and get paid well—however, a lot of stress comes from working in such a career. You need to be very flexible with your time and able to work long hours. You need to spend a lot of time on the construction site managing jobs and ensuring things are executed according to design.

In addition, responsibility and duty of care come with being a construction manager, which means taking responsibility for mistakes and errors during construction projects. This requires construction managers to have high attention to detail and excellent communication and leadership skills.

There are many other skills you can learn about here: Top 7 Personality Traits Of Project Manager For Immediate Success.

18 FAQ About Construction Management:

Now that we have answered the main questions, we have answered frequent questions by people who want to get into construction management. Feel free to read through it.

What’s it really like to be a construction manager?

As a construction manager, you spend your time between meetings, site visits and sending emails. You will have a mix of site and office work environments. You will spend some of your time on phone calls with clients, contractors and engineers and some looking at flow charts and drawings. Usually, you will be multitasking between those different tasks.

Is it difficult to become a construction manager?

It is not difficult being a construction manager; however, there is a lot of stress when working as a construction manager. In fact, anyone can become a construction manager; however, being a good manager require experience and knowledge in running a project.

Is it worth getting a construction management degree?

To become a construction manager, you can either get a construction management degree, usually 2-3 years, or a civil engineering degree which is 4 years. A civil engineering degree usually gives you more work opportunities as it is a much superior degree.

What is the average age of a construction manager?

There are no age restrictions on being a construction manager; however, our survey found that the average age of construction managers is 34.

What are the disadvantages of construction management?

Long work hours
High stress
Managing many people
Working under time constrains
Managing materials supply and cost
Negotiating with client
Ensuring project quality control

Is construction management a 9-5 job?

Construction management is not a 9-5 job; most construction managers start super early at 7 AM and finish at 4 PM. Many work overtime and even on weekends if their presence is required on-site.

Do construction managers work every day?

Construction managers do not work every day. However, they work long hours, sometimes on weekends and even night shifts.

Is construction management a stable job?

Construction management is a stable job as there are plenty of work opportunities due to the high demand for construction development and civil projects.

Is construction management math heavy?

Construction management is not math-heavy, and you will not need anything higher than high school math with some geometry. But good math and finance background are good as you might need to do some simple calculations from time to time and budgeting and project forecasting.

What is higher than a construction manager?

Construction management is usually the highest position in a construction project. Construction managers usually oversee project managers, engineers and contractors.

Can you be rich as a construction manager?

Construction management guarantees a reasonable living. On average, construction managers will make around $3.4 million throughout their entire careers, which is above average compared to the median of $2.7 million. Being rich is also possible if you have your own construction management company.

Who earns the most in construction?

Trade people usually earn the most in construction, such as plumbers and electricians who work for themselves. Construction managers are usually among the highest paid in the construction industry, just not the highest earners.

Who makes more money, the architect or the construction manager?

It is not much difference in pay between architects and construction managers. Both are essential in the construction industry. However, they do very different things as architects are in charge of design and construction managers are in charge of delivery. Architects make around $125K annually, while construction managers make around $130K annually.

Do construction managers make more than engineers?

Construction managers and engineers usually make around the same, especially those working in the construction industry. Usually, construction managers are compared with civil engineers, and both make around $130K a year.

Where are construction managers paid the most?

Construction managers are well-paid in the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and Saudi Arabia.

What is the lifestyle of a construction manager?

Why do construction managers quit?

Stress is very high in construction management, which is the biggest reason many quit their jobs. The second biggest reason is salary, as the construction industry is very competitive but also has high demand, which means construction managers change jobs frequently for a better salary.

Will AI replace construction managers?

It is difficult to imagine a world without project managers. They are essential and very difficult to replace by AI as the job requires excellent communication, negotiation and management skills, and AI has not yet reached that level of sophistication. It is almost impossible to replace construction management jobs with AI.

Is Construction Management A Good Career? Honest Opinion