Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for construction administrators in the United States
Are construction administrator jobs in demand?
Construction administrator job and salary trends over time
Construction administrator jobs over time
Construction administrator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,384 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,391 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,456 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,331 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,206 | 0.00% |
Average construction administrator salary over time
Construction administrator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,576 | $22.39 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $45,656 | $21.95 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $44,750 | $21.51 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $43,792 | $21.05 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $42,800 | $20.58 | +2.2% |
Construction administrator jobs by state
Most common states for construction administrators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 169 | 22% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 145 | 20% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 129 | 19% |
| 4 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,025 | 18% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 223 | 17% |
| 6 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 180 | 17% |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,101 | 16% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 102 | 16% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 94 | 16% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 460 | 15% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 287 | 15% |
| 12 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 589 | 14% |
| 13 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 426 | 14% |
| 14 | Delaware | 961,939 | 132 | 14% |
| 15 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 126 | 14% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,311 | 13% |
| 17 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 919 | 13% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 230 | 13% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 261 | 12% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 158 | 12% |
Most common cities for construction administrators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoreview | 2 | 8% | $43,451 |
| 2 | Framingham | 2 | 3% | $54,945 |
| 3 | Livermore | 2 | 2% | $54,068 |
| 4 | Raleigh | 3 | 1% | $41,198 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | 2 | 1% | $41,472 |
| 6 | Orlando | 2 | 1% | $39,415 |
| 7 | Asheville | 1 | 1% | $38,558 |
| 8 | Austin | 4 | 0% | $51,298 |
| 9 | Houston | 3 | 0% | $50,581 |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 3 | 0% | $51,406 |
| 11 | Charlotte | 2 | 0% | $39,093 |
| 12 | Columbus | 2 | 0% | $46,498 |
| 13 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $45,874 |
| 14 | San Diego | 2 | 0% | $50,706 |
| 15 | San Francisco | 2 | 0% | $54,429 |
| 16 | San Jose | 2 | 0% | $54,208 |
| 17 | Albuquerque | 1 | 0% | $53,619 |
Construction Administrator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of construction administrator experts
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Kennesaw State University
Michigan Technological University
Arizona State University
International Association of Administrative Professionals
University of Texas
Dr. John Cabage
Chair, Associate ProfessorSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
What Construction Administrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. John Cabage: The Construction Industry is robust and vital for the health of our nation. The industry is growing and will continue to grow in the future. Projects are becoming larger and more complex requiring teamwork and collaboration from partners of all walks both internal and external to the construction community.
Neil Opfer
Assoc. Professor - UNLV Civil & Environmental Engineering & Construction DepartmentWhat will help Construction Administrators increase their earning potential?
Neil Opfer: Certainly, Artificial Intelligence or AI is a huge buzzword across all occupations. The experts I read in this area are all over the map in that (1) AI will put huge waves of people out of work, (2) AI will in some 'Terminator-type World' mean the death of civilization as we know it, or (3) fears of AI taking over the World are way overblown and AI will be a useful tool to improve productivity. Certainly have heard from several friends in the industry the usefulness of AI in developing safety plans for a jobsite, etc., etc. So AI is number 1 with continuing areas such BIM/computerization important, sustainability/green building important, and lean construction/reducing out-of-control construction costs important. Also we need to attract a quality craft labor force to construction and so better working conditions (cleaner jobs, clean restroom-facilities, better management) and better marketing to potential employees will be key success drivers.
What general advice would you give to a Construction Administrator?
Neil Opfer: Remember that in a CM Program you have spent 4 years of your life (or more) studying books and learning the "theory of construction." But this is the start of your education and not the end. The best quote here (not from me) is "Success is a journey, not a destination." Sadly I have classmates that I graduated with years ago who, once they graduated, never cracked a book. Also remember that construction in many respects is an incredibly-varied field and you will, perhaps if working for a GC or a CM firm, never know as much as that electrician or plumber knows about their craft or that trade contractor knows about their specialty. But insofar as possible you need to learn and absorb as much as possible about these other areas. Otherwise you'll lead a life of ignorance and designers and contractors will, sadly, take advantage of your ignorance. When I was in college (1974), my Dorm President told me, "Everyone is ignorant about something but the stupid person works at being ignorant." Don't work at being ignorant. Also, respect everyone on the job from laborer, carpenter, on up because you can learn something from everyone along the way in your career. You, remember, are lucky in that as a college grad you're in the 37% or so of the U.S. population with a college degree but CM is a STEM field because of the math, physics, and construction-science coursework you take. Only 18% of the U.S. population have STEM degrees so you're in even a more select field with your technical education. But those on the construction site who did not have an opportunity to go to college may resent you or they've had bad experiences with college grads who "lorded over them" the fact that they were a college grad and the craft personnel on the job were not. Advice to a new college graduate in CM would be to remember (not original with me but a great axiom) that (1) you are hired for your technical skills, (2) promoted for your leadership/managerial skills, and (3) fired for your lack of people skills. Do a good job at whatever you do and look for opportunities to improve processes when possible. Realize that as a new grad you'll often get the jobs that more senior people don't want. Also, realize that your job is partly "paying your dues" to get the chance at more interesting jobs in the future. Learn to network with others in your firm and those at other firms including being involved in professional associations and civic/charitable work. Ensure that your supervisors know the extras (prof associations, civic work) you are doing outside of work. Finally the old adage of a "sound mind in a sound body" means to continually improve yourself on both a mental and a physical basis.
What Construction Administrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Neil Opfer: First off, know what competitive salaries are in your area of the country for the type of job you want as you never have to recover from a good start. Some companies, for instance, will offer salaries that are simply not competitive. As an example, a few years ago, we had one CM graduate starting at $70K per year at one firm (heavy-highway contractor) whereas another grad had been offered $42K per year for a commercial flooring contractor. That $42K was simply not competitive with the market whether that employer offering that salary knew it or not. Also, compare offers versus area living costs. Use cost-of-living calculators such as at bankrate.com If you, using this bankrate.com tool, were offered one job in Las Vegas NV at $80,000 per year versus another job opportunity in Los Angeles CA, you would need $122,000 per year as a comparable salary. Remember to measure yourself as to earning that salary on a regular basis. Don't take jobs where a bonus is promised to make up for a bad salary. Example here is taking a Superintendent Job where your Job ended up profitable but other jobs run by others overall didn't so taking that lower salary and not getting that bonus didn't work out so well. Again, benchmark yourself against what others in the industry in that same area are actually getting paid. If you truly feel you deserve a raise where you're at but can't get it you may need to change jobs to get to a higher salary scale. But that firm offering above-market salaries may be doing so because of internal problems (bad bosses, poor working conditions, insane hours, insane understaffing, etc.) so look before you leap. It's a given that to be successful as a working professional in construction, one cannot just work a 40-hour week. But you shouldn't be working 7-10s or more on a regular basis either. Again, through networking you perhaps can find out who are the 'bad employers.'
Irish Horsey Ph.D.
Interim Chair of the Department of Construction Management and Assistant ProfessorKennesaw State University
Department of Construction Management
What soft skills should all Construction Administrators possess?
Irish Horsey Ph.D.: Leadership and communication are among the most essential skills of a construction manager. Construction managers are responsible for ensuring that projects are built safely on schedule, within budget, and to the quality outlined in the drawings and specifications. To fulfill these responsibilities, construction managers must lead multiple teams, including primary, secondary, and third party players, on a construction project through effective oral and written communications.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Construction Administrators?
Irish Horsey Ph.D.: Construction Managers are project managers with specialized technical skills. Construction managers' most important technical skills are print reading, estimating, scheduling, project and technology management.
Laura Connolly Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of EconomicsMichigan Technological University
College of Business
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Construction Administrator job market given the pandemic?
Laura Connolly Ph.D.: One thing we have learned so far during the pandemic is that it has disparately impacted different industries, occupations and groups of workers. Even within the construction industry the impacts of the pandemic are not uniform. Residential construction has added back more of the jobs lost during the pandemic than nonresidential construction. This is influenced by the surge in the housing market and uncertainty in demand and funding for commercial projects. All of these factors, and more, are likely to influence the job market. Residential construction could be in a better position to expand employment than commercial construction in the short term. The shift to work from home and differences in state and local government responses to the pandemic have impacted individual preferences for where to live. These spillover into the construction sector, with some areas experiencing population growth and an increased need for more housing. Construction management jobs might be more available in these geographic areas. There are other job market trends we've seen during the pandemic that are likely here to stay as well, including working from home, virtual recruitment and training processes, and increased safety and protocol measures.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Construction Administrators?
Kristen Parrish Ph.D.: The construction market, locally, is doing quite well, particularly in the industrial sector (e.g., warehouses). So, I think that in terms of ability to be employed, no, there is relatively little impact in the construction industry. However, I think that the enduring impacts are the ways that we do business, even in construction, have changed. For instance, inspections can happen remotely using video conferencing software, and in some cases, augmented reality. People are also working from home more -- this is the case for project managers as well as office staff for projects (i.e., construction administrators). Some of these changes will likely persist after COVID is under control; others may change back.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Construction Administrators to find work opportunities?
Veronica Cochran: I would urge graduates to not simply focus on locations or organizations with the highest salary or most job or promotion opportunities. The key to remaining engaged and creating value is finding an organization that supports your core beliefs and values.
Second to that, I believe a support network is vital to one's professional development and success. That being said, I have had the opportunity to engage administrative professionals throughout the United States and across the globe. In particular, I came across larger networks in New York, D.C., Alabama, California, and Texas.
If they are looking for a place to start, I believe Zippia's list of Best States for an Administrative Assistant is a great starting point.
What Construction Administrator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.: Prioritize obtaining relevant certifications early on in your career. These credentials can enhance your qualifications and marketability, potentially leading to higher starting salaries. As you gain experience, strive to take on leadership roles and demonstrate your ability to manage projects, teams, and resources effectively. Leadership skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, and conflict resolution are highly valued in the construction industry. Ultimately, remember that success in construction is not solely about expertise; it also hinges on upholding integrity, diligence, and ethical standards.
What will help Construction Administrators increase their earning potential?
Adeeba Raheem Ph.D.: For a graduate embarking on a career in construction, remember that every project is an opportunity to learn and grow. Cultivate strong communication skills, both verbal and written, to effectively collaborate with colleagues, contractors, and clients. Additionally, prioritize continuous learning, staying abreast of the latest trends, technologies, and best practices through seminars, workshops, and professional development courses. Finally, never underestimate the importance of building and maintaining relationships—trust and integrity are the cornerstones of a successful career in construction.