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What is a lead foreman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
The average lead foreman salary is $60,787. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an business major. It usually takes more than 10 years of experience to become a lead foreman. Lead foremen 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.
ScoreLead ForemanUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $60,787

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.12%

Asian 1.47%

Black or African American 6.11%

Hispanic or Latino 21.58%

Unknown 3.93%

White 65.78%

Gender

female 3.70%

male 96.30%

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

Lead foreman career paths

Key steps to become a lead foreman

  1. Explore lead foreman education requirements

    Most common lead foreman degrees

    High School Diploma

    39.8 %

    Associate

    21.2 %

    Bachelor's

    19.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific lead foreman skills

    SkillsPercentages
    ISO11.62%
    CDL8.64%
    Safety Guidelines7.02%
    PIM6.21%
    Safety Procedures5.28%
  3. Complete relevant lead foreman training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lead foremen 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 lead foreman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lead foreman resumes.
  4. Research lead foreman duties and responsibilities

    • Manage and perform all excavations.
    • Terminate the MCC and the PLC for the new installation.
    • Coordinate with EHS department for all regulatory, safety and environmental issues.
    • Enforce company policies and OSHA regulations, investigate construction accidents utilizing knowledge gain through cooperation with safety department and law enforcement.
  5. Get lead foreman experience

    Generally, it takes more than 10 years to become a lead foreman. The most common roles before becoming a lead foreman include foreman, carpenter team lead and superintendent.
  6. Prepare your lead foreman resume

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

    Choose from 10+ customizable lead foreman resume templates

    Build a professional lead foreman 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 lead foreman resume.
    Lead Foreman Resume
    Lead Foreman Resume
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    Lead Foreman Resume
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    Lead Foreman Resume
    Lead Foreman Resume
    Lead Foreman Resume
  7. Apply for lead foreman jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a lead foreman 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 lead foreman job

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Average lead foreman salary

The average lead foreman salary in the United States is $60,787 per year or $29 per hour. Lead foreman salaries range between $42,000 and $87,000 per year.

Average lead foreman salary
$60,787 Yearly
$29.22 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do lead foremen rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

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2 stars

1 star

Lead foreman reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

As a rigging foreman i will like to do lifting safely following safety procedure

Cons

I dont like working without safety procedure


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

Knowing the job will get done on time and is done in a safe manner

Cons

Everyone has days where nothing will go right, I don't like having to come in and fix other people's screw ups


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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


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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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