Post job

Construction foreman vs construction manager

The differences between construction foremen and construction managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a construction foreman, becoming a construction manager takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a construction manager has an average salary of $81,313, which is higher than the $57,121 average annual salary of a construction foreman.

The top three skills for a construction foreman include work ethic, CDL and OSHA. The most important skills for a construction manager are project management, construction management, and construction projects.

Construction foreman vs construction manager overview

Construction ForemanConstruction Manager
Yearly salary$57,121$81,313
Hourly rate$27.46$39.09
Growth rate-3%8%
Number of jobs40,62144,431
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 33%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4646
Years of experience-8

What does a construction foreman do?

A construction foreman is responsible for overseeing construction operations and determining the construction progress by monitoring plans and schedules. A construction foreman allocates tasks to the workers and ensures that everyone adheres to the safety guidelines and regulations, preventing potential hazards in the work area and avoiding construction delays. They also identify cost-reduction opportunities by handling negotiation with trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. A construction foreman inspects the quality of materials, including the equipment and machinery, allocates adequate resources for production, and resolves issues immediately.

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.

Construction foreman vs construction manager salary

Construction foremen and construction managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Construction ForemanConstruction Manager
Average salary$57,121$81,313
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $77,000Between $54,000 And $120,000
Highest paying CityHartford, CTSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkHawaii
Best paying companyRepsol Energy North America CorporationMeta
Best paying industryProfessionalTechnology

Differences between construction foreman and construction manager education

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

Construction ForemanConstruction Manager
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 33%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college-California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Construction foreman vs construction manager demographics

Here are the differences between construction foremen' and construction managers' demographics:

Construction ForemanConstruction Manager
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 97.5% Female, 2.5%Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 1.5% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%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 Percentage2%4%

Differences between construction foreman and construction manager duties and responsibilities

Construction foreman example responsibilities.

  • Manage installation of large scale CCTV and delay exiting systems.
  • Manage daily oversight of moon bounce business, taking stock of inventory and ensuring delivery to customers.
  • Manage different crews in delegating responsibilities to other workers for windows and curtain wall installations.
  • Supervise subcontractors and conduct onsite inspections to ensure exceptional project outcomes achieve on-time and within budget.
  • Operate power saws, planers, jointers, routers and pneumatic equipment.
  • Perform duties associate with building construction and home improvements daily while following all OSHA safety regulations.
  • 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

Construction foreman vs construction manager skills

Common construction foreman skills
  • Work Ethic, 10%
  • CDL, 10%
  • OSHA, 10%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Construction Equipment, 5%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Common construction manager skills
  • Project Management, 12%
  • Construction Management, 12%
  • Construction Projects, 9%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • Customer Service, 4%
  • Oversight, 4%

Browse construction and extraction jobs