Post job

Commercial project manager vs construction manager

The differences between commercial project managers and construction managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a commercial project manager and a construction manager. Additionally, a commercial project manager has an average salary of $84,909, which is higher than the $81,313 average annual salary of a construction manager.

The top three skills for a commercial project manager include project management, customer service and roofing. The most important skills for a construction manager are project management, construction management, and construction projects.

Commercial project manager vs construction manager overview

Commercial Project ManagerConstruction Manager
Yearly salary$84,909$81,313
Hourly rate$40.82$39.09
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs150,06244,431
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4646
Years of experience88

What does a commercial project manager do?

A commercial project manager is responsible for monitoring the development of business projects across the company within various industries. Commercial project managers strategize on the procedures for the project deliverables, including the resources, budget allocation, and timetables. They delegate tasks among the team members and conduct regular brainstorming sessions for progress updates and ways to enhance the existing project outline. A commercial project manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially in resolving failure points within the project system and adjust plans immediately as needed to meet goals and objectives.

What does a construction manager do?

A construction manager oversees a construction site and its workers, ensuring efficiency in the workforce and overall operations. They work in an office within the construction site to meet and coordinate with architects, contractors, and clients. They must also hire the required workforce, identify and resolve issues, maintain daily reports and communication with clients, and prioritize a safe work environment. Above all, they must see that all of the required protocols are met, including the target completion time and budget.

Commercial project manager vs construction manager salary

Commercial project managers and construction managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Commercial Project ManagerConstruction Manager
Average salary$84,909$81,313
Salary rangeBetween $62,000 And $115,000Between $54,000 And $120,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkHawaii
Best paying companyONE GasMeta
Best paying industryEnergyTechnology

Differences between commercial project manager and construction manager education

There are a few differences between a commercial project manager and a construction manager in terms of educational background:

Commercial Project ManagerConstruction Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Commercial project manager vs construction manager demographics

Here are the differences between commercial project managers' and construction managers' demographics:

Commercial Project ManagerConstruction Manager
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 79.2% Female, 20.8%Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 2.9% White, 70.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 3.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.8% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between commercial project manager and construction manager duties and responsibilities

Commercial project manager example responsibilities.

  • Schedule and manage day-to-day activities of service and installation segments of HVAC business, including dispatching service technicians.
  • Manage several parallel infrastructure efforts with various delivery dates, team members and requiring different prioritization for disaster recovery projects.
  • Manage and conduct the development of a SharePoint base system for providing notifications of application and automation releases throughout the enterprise.
  • Train and full range of experience in all OSHA safety requirements.
  • Select and negotiate contracts for various trades, mechanical and electrical, plumbing subcontractors.
  • Monitor and sample collection of stream water for compliance with EPA and MSHA standards.
  • Show more

Construction manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage three geotechnical engineers, a general contractor , 45 sub-contractors, and consultants.
  • Manage all contractor-relate tasks from RFI submissions through payment administration.
  • Manage and coordinate architects, structural engineers, MEP engineers and subcontractors technical departments.
  • Manage complete design and construction coordination of company's retail properties throughout the Washington/Baltimore area market.
  • Manage third party contractors, including safety oversight, control inspection and environmental design specification compliance, and also direct consultants.
  • Implement and maintain construction safety regulations according to OSHA requirements, and ensure environmental protection regulatory compliance with engineering standards.
  • Show more

Commercial project manager vs construction manager skills

Common commercial project manager skills
  • Project Management, 22%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Roofing, 9%
  • Construction Projects, 5%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • HVAC, 3%
Common construction manager skills
  • Project Management, 12%
  • Construction Management, 12%
  • Construction Projects, 9%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • Customer Service, 4%
  • Oversight, 4%

Browse executive management jobs