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What is a construction supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Becky Serbin
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The duty of a construction supervisor revolves around overseeing a construction project and monitoring operations at the worksite. He/She is responsible for managing construction crews, including hiring new crew members, tracking performance, and recommending improvement. He/She ensures compliance with health and safety regulations. Furthermore, he/she inspects materials, equipment, and the work site regularly. Besides that, he/she helps develop contracts and liaises with subcontractors and vendors. Also, he/she prepares reports, budgets, and project plans for presentation to stakeholders. Construction Supervisors find employment in construction firms.

Although you can get the job with a high school diploma, a bachelor's degree in construction, management, or engineering is preferable. You will need prior experience in the construction industry. You must be conversant with building codes, safety guidelines, and regulations. Key skills are communication, leadership, multitasking, organization, and negotiation skills. Construction supervisors make an average salary of $73,174 per year. This varies from $46,000 to $115,000.

What general advice would you give to a construction supervisor?

Becky SerbinBecky Serbin LinkedIn profile

Director of Education and Curriculum, National Tile Contractors Association

Skill requirements are stated on our recruitment flyer, attached, but will ultimately be decided on by the hiring contractor. Beyond our flyer, many also require a valid drivers license.
ScoreConstruction SupervisorUS Average
Salary
4.9

Avg. Salary $62,881

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.04%

Asian 1.40%

Black or African American 5.13%

Hispanic or Latino 22.92%

Unknown 3.85%

White 65.67%

Gender

female 5.66%

male 94.34%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.1

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Construction supervisor career paths

Key steps to become a construction supervisor

  1. Explore construction supervisor education requirements

    Most common construction supervisor degrees

    Bachelor's

    44.4 %

    Associate

    21.7 %

    High School Diploma

    18.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific construction supervisor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service9.71%
    OSHA8.07%
    Project Management8.00%
    Work Ethic5.52%
    Construction Management5.04%
  3. Complete relevant construction supervisor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New construction supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a construction supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real construction supervisor resumes.
  4. Gain additional construction supervisor certifications

    Construction supervisor certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific construction supervisor certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for construction supervisors include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Construction Manager (CCM).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research construction supervisor duties and responsibilities

    • Manage third party contractors, including safety oversight, control inspection and environmental design specification compliance, and also direct consultants.
    • Conduct site visits to ensure OSHA and local safety regulations are adhered to in accordance with company policy.
    • Perform caulking tasks which include: priming, air barrier on walls and utilizing mechanical tools.
    • Perform daily project walk-through to assess safety and cleanliness, thus ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations and insurance requirement.
  6. Prepare your construction supervisor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your construction supervisor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a construction supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable construction supervisor resume templates

    Build a professional construction supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your construction supervisor resume.
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    Construction Supervisor Resume
  7. Apply for construction supervisor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a construction supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first construction supervisor job

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Average construction supervisor salary

The average construction supervisor salary in the United States is $62,881 per year or $30 per hour. Construction supervisor salaries range between $42,000 and $92,000 per year.

Average construction supervisor salary
$62,881 Yearly
$30.23 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do construction supervisors rate their job?

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Construction supervisor reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020
Pros

A great leader, leads by example. Leading organization with team effort, to learn and grow.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

What do I like the most. Mmh I like the entire industry I mean change of scenery all types of people's personalities travel challenges the self satisfaction of a well earn paycheck. I just love it

Cons

This one crushes my spirit I see how much people is loosing the work ethic. Everyone wants more wages less work more personal time


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

Direct contact with all work on large site 7million to 12 million

Cons

2019 struggle for manpower with journeyman qualifications


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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