Contracts manager vs construction manager

The differences between contracts managers and construction managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a contracts manager, 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 $72,691 average annual salary of a contracts manager.

The top three skills for a contracts manager include contract management, contract administration and contract terms. The most important skills for a construction manager are project management, construction management, and construction projects.

Contracts manager vs construction manager overview

	Contracts Manager	Construction Manager
Yearly salary	$72,691	$81,313
Hourly rate	$34.95	$39.09
Growth rate	-6%	8%
Number of jobs	13,218	44,431
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	47	46
Years of experience	6	8

What does a contracts manager do?

A contract manager is responsible for finalizing contract agreements between the company and its clients, revising documents, creating procurement proposals, and managing breach of contracts immediately. Contract managers respond to clients' inquiries and concerns about the contract's terms, conditions, and adjustment requests. They should be highly knowledgeable with legal terms and legislation regulations, ensuring that documents align with their objectives. The contract manager should also stay updated with the latest trends to meet contract demands, identify more business opportunities to boost revenues, and achieve profitability goals.

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.

Contracts manager vs construction manager salary

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

	Contracts Manager	Construction Manager
Average salary	$72,691	$81,313
Salary range	Between $45,000 And $116,000	Between $54,000 And $120,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	McKinsey & Company Inc	Meta
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between contracts manager and construction manager education

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

	Contracts Manager	Construction Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Contracts manager vs construction manager demographics

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

	Contracts Manager	Construction Manager
Average age	47	46
Gender ratio	Male, 54.0% Female, 46.0%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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 Percentage	11%	4%

Differences between contracts manager and construction manager duties and responsibilities

Contracts manager example responsibilities.

Manage ISO requirements for sales and marketing.
Manage IDIQ contracts including task and delivery orders.
Manage RFI's and change orders through close out.
Manage all material for a non MRP driven program manually.
Coach and direct the IPT for use of proper policies to achieve goals.
Lead two DCAA audits for a $60 million project resulting in no-cost findings during tenure as manager.

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.

Contracts manager vs construction manager skills

Common contracts manager skills

Contract Management, 9%
Contract Administration, 6%
Contract Terms, 5%
Project Management, 5%
Customer Service, 4%
Proposal Preparation, 3%

Common construction manager skills

Project Management, 12%
Construction Management, 12%
Construction Projects, 9%
OSHA, 5%
Customer Service, 4%
Oversight, 4%

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Contracts Manager
Contracts Manager vs Construction Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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