What the numbers say
California's median wage for Construction Managers was $129,000 in 2024, about 17% above the national median of $110,156. That gap is meaningful, but the state's cost of living index sits at 114.8, one of the highest in the country. After adjusting for what the money actually buys, the real premium narrows to roughly half the headline figure.
The spread across earners is wide. At the 10th percentile, the annual wage was $81,070. At the 90th, it reached $205,060, a range of about $124,000 between the lowest and highest earners in the state. That spread reflects how much experience, project scale, and sub-specialty matter in this occupation. A site superintendent managing residential tracts operates in a very different pay tier than a senior program manager overseeing a multi-billion-dollar transit build.
California employs 35,790 Construction Managers, one of the larger state-level counts BLS publishes for this occupation. The volume of public infrastructure work, combined with ongoing residential and commercial development in the Central Valley and coastal metros, keeps demand broad across the state.
BLS projects employment for Construction Managers to grow 8.7% nationally between 2024 and 2034, a pace it classifies as faster than average. California's scale suggests the state will account for a substantial share of that growth, though BLS does not break projections to the state level for this occupation.
The mean wage of $137,430 runs about $8,400 above the median, which tells us a smaller group of top earners pull the average up. The median is the more useful anchor for anyone benchmarking against a mid-career position.
Salary distribution
Where California construction managers fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $100,830 and $165,170, with a median of $129,000.
Construction Managers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 234 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $132,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 41 | $96,866 |
| Level II — qualified | 80 | $123,386 |
| Level III — experienced | 36 | $149,926 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 37 | $170,019 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Construction Managers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla, Inc. | Sr Technical Construction Project Manager | 24 | $139,828 |
| DPR Construction, A General Partnership | Project Manager (Civil/Construction) | 10 | $123,386 |
| Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC | Senior Scheduler | 6 | $157,000 |
| Cumming Management Group, Inc. | Project Manager | 6 | $135,000 |
| AECOM Technical Services, Inc. | Construction Project Manager III | 6 | $128,844 |
| Trenmor LLC | Project Manager | 5 | $134,992 |
| APSI Construction Management | Construction Manager | 5 | $150,000 |
| Crusoe Energy Systems, Inc. | Pre-Construction Senior Manager | 5 | $220,000 |
| M. A. Mortenson Company | Project Manager I | 5 | $129,287 |
| Webcor Construction LP | Project Manager | 5 | $146,432 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Project Manager at Trenmor LLC$133,016San DiegoDecided Dec 26, 2025I-200-25352-493092
- Senior Project Manager at Turner & Townsend, Inc.$173,041San DiegoDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-490138
- Senior Scheduler at Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC$160,000IrvineDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-478380
- PROJECT ENGINEER at PADCOM DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC$134,430LOS ANGELESDecided Dec 16, 2025I-200-25344-470385
- Assistant Construction Project Manager at CONSOR North America, Inc.$122,720San FranciscoDecided Dec 10, 2025I-200-25337-454623
- Project Manager at Guild GC, Inc.$125,000Los AngelesDecided Dec 9, 2025I-200-25336-451146
- Senior Project Manager at PCL Construction Services, Inc.$181,000VistaDecided Dec 4, 2025I-200-25330-441621
- Construction Manager at APSI Construction Management$110,000PattonDecided Dec 2, 2025I-200-25329-434879
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Construction Managers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Construction Managers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 175 certified offers. The most common variant is Project Manager at a median of $131,830.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Manager | DPR Construction, A General Partnership | 87 | $131,830 |
| Construction Manager | Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC | 24 | $112,620 |
| Project Engineer | PADCOM DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES LLC | 15 | $99,237 |
| Construction Project Manager | Tesla, Inc. | 15 | $116,480 |
| Sr Technical Construction Project Manager | Tesla, Inc. | 11 | $155,000 |
| Director, VNI Delivery | Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 | 6 | $165,010 |
| Scheduler | Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC | 4 | $133,553 |
| OPEX Program Analyst | Tesla, Inc. | 4 | $140,000 |
| Development Manager | Terawatt Infrastructure Inc. | 3 | $161,346 |
| Business Operations Manager | LC General Construction, Inc. | 3 | $87,838 |
| Superintendent | Webcor Construction LP | 3 | $149,926 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Construction Managers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 115 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $127,065.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC | 55 | $127,065 |
| Manufacturing | Tesla, Inc. | 27 | $139,655 |
| Technology and software | Crusoe Energy Systems, Inc. | 13 | $206,878 |
| Real estate | Greystar Management Services, LLC | 8 | $142,215 |
| Energy and utilities | Terawatt Infrastructure Inc. | 2 | $161,346 |
| Media and entertainment | Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 | 2 | $157,955 |
| Finance and insurance | New Course Enterprises | 2 | $215,000 |
| Healthcare | Stanford Health Care | 2 | $135,315 |
| Retail and wholesale | AMAZON DATA SERVICES, INC. | 2 | $170,250 |
| Transportation and logistics | Hitachi Rail STS USA, Inc. | 1 | $199,576 |
| Education | The Russian School of Mathematics Inc. | 1 | $97,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
5 years or more
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Building and Construction
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Administration and Management
Knowledge
- 4.2 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Information Ordering
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Coordination
Technical
- 4.0 / 5
Management of Personnel Resources
Technical
- 4.0 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Problem Sensitivity
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
- 02
Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
- 03
Interpret and explain plans and contract terms to representatives of the owner or developer, including administrative staff, workers, or clients.
- 04
Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
- 05
Prepare contracts or negotiate revisions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers, or subcontractors.
- 06
Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems.
- 07
Plan, organize, or direct activities concerned with the construction or maintenance of structures, facilities, or systems.
- 08
Study job specifications to determine appropriate construction methods.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+8.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for construction managers in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$160,870
- San Jose$151,980
- Los Angeles$128,730
- San Diego$128,380
- Sacramento$127,090
- Riverside$107,430
Compare Construction Managers pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Construction Managers in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Construction Managers in California is $129,000.
- How does California compare to the national median for Construction Managers?
- The California median is +17.1% versus the BLS national figure of $110,156.
- What is the salary range for Construction Managers in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $81,070 and the 90th-percentile at $205,060, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Construction Managers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 8.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Construction Managers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.