How To Become A Foreman/Project Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is a foreman/project manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average foreman/project manager salary is $52,506. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an business major. It usually takes more than 10 years of experience to become a foreman/project manager. Foreman/project managers with a OSHA Safety Certificate certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -3% and produce -400 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreForeman/Project ManagerUS Average

Salary

4.1

Avg. Salary $52,506

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.6

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.10%

Asian 1.45%

Black or African American 5.85%

Hispanic or Latino 20.48%

Unknown 3.91%

White 67.21%

Gender

female 2.59%

male 97.41%

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

Key steps to become a foreman/project manager

Explore foreman/project manager education requirements

Most common foreman/project manager degrees

Bachelor's

37.5 %

High School Diploma

25.1 %

Associate

25.0 %

Start to develop specific foreman/project manager skills

Skills	Percentages
General Contractors	11.46%
HVAC	7.86%
Sub Contractors	7.52%
Safety Procedures	6.62%
Safety Standards	6.42%

Complete relevant foreman/project manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New foreman/project managers 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 foreman/project manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real foreman/project manager resumes.

Research foreman/project manager duties and responsibilities

Supervise subcontractors and conduct onsite inspections to ensure exceptional project outcomes achieve on-time and within budget.
Work on all aspects of HVAC systems on residential, commercial, and industrial projects.
Install process piping, HVAC equipment, boilers, chillers and all other equipment associate with the HVAC industry.
Deliver optimal operational efficiency and workforce productivity by leading maintenance efforts for all onsite equipment and vehicles for consistent performance.

Prepare your foreman/project manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your foreman/project manager 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 foreman/project manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable foreman/project manager resume templates

Build a professional foreman/project manager 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 foreman/project manager resume.

Apply for foreman/project manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a foreman/project manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How do foreman/project managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Foreman/project manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019

Pros

I like most is being able to motivate and encourage the crew to do the best they can and all there efforts are appreciated I feel that a positive attitude toward your employees resault in a more positive attitude throughout the company as a whole I also like to keep everyone aware of the safety hazards around there work space and maintain a safe work place environment but what I enjoy most is being able to look back at a job complete and know that I was the one in charge of completing that job and it gives me that great feeling of accomplishment

Cons

I don't like when I have to terminate an employee I always feel like there was more than I could have done a better job motavating and incorporating that employee in a different position in the company that would have benefited both the employee and the company

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019