The Average Salary of a Construction Supervisor
Construction supervisors ensure that construction projects run smoothly by managing human and material resources at building sites. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nearly 61 percent of these professionals are self-employed. Employers prefer those with a bachelor's degree in a construction-related field, though many years of experience in the field can qualify.
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Work
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Though some planning and scheduling happens in an office, construction supervisors typically work outdoors, at construction sites, so they can make immediate decisions. They may need to travel long distances if the sites are not near the main office. They may need to be on-call 24 hours a day, so they can deal with delays, emergencies and the effects of bad weather. For these troubles, supervisors are well compensated with a median salary of $82,330 per year, with a range of $49,320 to $151,630. This information is as of May 2009 according to the BLS.
Experience
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The PayScale Report shows that experience is important in increasing salaries for construction supervisors. New employees make $39,928 to $58,421 annually, while those with one to four years of work earn $40,783 to $61,057. At five to nine years, they get $49,645 to $74,413, and at 10 to 19 years of experience, the salary range is $60,792 to $96,305. Finally, at 20 or more years, they are paid $69,511 to $111,043.
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Certifications
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Though certifications are not required, they can have a positive effect on salaries, according to PayScale, with the highest pay of $82,586 to $121,836 per year going to those with Certified Professional Engineer. A B-1 Building Contractor certification pays $63,693 to $111,559, while an Engineer in Training makes $67,005 to $104,359. A Project Management Professional receives $64,432 to $103,824, while those with a Project Management Certificate receive slightly less at $61,190 to $101,607.
Industries
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According to the BLS, the industry that hires the largest number of construction supervisors is nonresidential building construction, which deals with the building of offices, educational institutes and health care facilities, among others. It offers almost 25 percent of the available 204,760 jobs, with above-average pay at $92,260. The industries that pay the most are professional, scientific and technical services that offer supervisors on a consulting basis. They compensate at $142,550 but only show 30 positions, making them an extremely difficult job possibility.
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References
- Photo Credit construction image by vb_photo from Fotolia.com
