Quick answer:Construction Managers in California earn a median $133,160 per year, above the national median of $114,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 34,750 of them. Licensing runs through your state contractor licensing board.
Construction Management Pay and Employment in California at a Glance
Metric
California
National
Source
Median annual wage
$133,160
$114,990
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$82,100
$69,690
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$102,780
$88,550
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$168,070
$151,640
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$211,970
$189,440
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
34,750
380,360
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.78
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
8.7%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How California Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The California median of $133,160 sits above the national median of $114,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.78 puts California below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Construction management is a local-market career: the work follows the region’s active pipeline of commercial, industrial and infrastructure projects.
Construction Managers Wages by Metro Area in California
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), construction managers wages in California vary by metro area.
Metro Area
Employment
Median Annual Wage
Avg. Annual Wage
Entry Level (10th pctile)
Experienced (90th pctile)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
10,120
$131,680
$139,240
$75,730
$212,330
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
5,160
$166,030
$164,760
$100,910
$225,120
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
3,800
$133,210
$138,000
$82,290
$208,350
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
3,450
$126,040
$130,720
$80,600
$187,200
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom
2,760
$129,440
$134,220
$79,330
$198,680
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
1,850
$163,040
$168,220
$97,900
$249,990
Fresno
910
$118,500
$122,190
$75,030
$176,020
Bakersfield-Delano
720
$127,890
$136,220
$83,600
$204,170
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
580
$130,700
$136,920
$83,440
$192,500
Santa Rosa-Petaluma
560
$124,700
$131,430
$73,970
$197,060
Stockton-Lodi
560
$120,210
$124,360
$73,170
$181,360
Vallejo
400
$122,630
$132,990
$58,320
$202,370
Modesto
380
$125,800
$131,500
$82,760
$197,620
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
370
$128,220
$131,000
$73,960
$189,070
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara
290
$132,620
$138,980
$82,600
$213,850
Visalia
230
$104,250
$115,810
$68,180
$172,350
Salinas
220
$120,430
$130,450
$84,310
$181,240
Napa
180
$138,730
$148,230
$83,320
$217,760
Redding
150
$111,500
$116,760
$49,530
$180,000
Santa Cruz-Watsonville
150
$128,730
$129,570
$85,080
$174,870
Chico
140
$119,660
$123,570
$79,510
$176,820
Merced
100
$119,150
$124,450
$83,070
$167,980
Yuba City
70
$126,200
$125,480
$76,970
$182,940
El Centro
60
$130,630
$137,640
$82,600
$195,000
Hanford-Corcoran
50
$103,870
$112,640
$78,050
$156,470
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
There is no single national license for construction managers. What varies most by state is contractor licensing: some states license general contractors strictly, others barely at all, and the rules usually attach to the contracting entity rather than to the manager personally. On the academic side the recognized programmatic accreditor is ACCE.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state contractor licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 10 schools
within 127 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
10 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
#1
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
📍
San Luis Obispo, CA
•81.5 miles away•BOC Score
89.2
How much do construction managers make in California?
The median annual wage for construction managers in California is $133,160, above the national median of $114,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $102,780 at the 25th percentile to $168,070 at the 75th.
How many construction managers work in California?
California holds about 34,750 construction manager jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 380,360, and BLS projects about 46,800 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a construction manager in California?
There is no single national license for construction managers. What varies most by state is contractor licensing: some states license general contractors strictly, others barely at all, and the rules usually attach to the contracting entity rather than to the manager personally. On the academic side the recognized programmatic accreditor is ACCE. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state contractor licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a construction management bachelor's online while working in California?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state contractor licensing board.
What is the highest-paying area of California for construction managers?
Among California metro areas with published data, San Francisco reports the highest median at $166,030 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is California a good state for construction managers?
On pay, the state median of $133,160 sits above the national $114,990 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.78 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
