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Salary Guides / California
Construction Project Manager Salary in California
Review California project-management pay against construction-manager benchmarks, actual project authority and the benefits and incentives included in an offer.
What Construction Project Managers Earn in California
May 2025 BLS Construction Managers data for California show a $39.47–$101.91/hr 10th–90th percentile range, or $82,100–$211,970/year. The median is $64.02/hr, or $133,160/year. This broader occupation is a benchmark for project-management work, not a separate survey of this title. Compare contract authority, project size, reporting and workload before judging an offer. Benefits and incentives require separate review. Annual figures are full-time benchmarks, and an hourly statistical measure does not determine how an employer structures salary or overtime classification.
Hourly rates by level in California
What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other construction project managers in California.
What are you making?
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Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.
You're right around the middle
$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Calculate pay with extra credentials
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
1Your level
2Certifications you hold
3Shift & work type
4Overtime & per diem
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in California
These cards compare commercial building, systems installation and residential development. The national medians cover construction managers broadly, helping California candidates compare work settings without establishing California sector rankings.
Nonresidential Building Construction
Commercial building managers coordinate contractors, budgets and client milestones across larger projects. Examine contract authority, the reporting system and team support before comparing pay. Benefits, project travel and the number of concurrent assignments can affect the value of an offer beyond this national construction-manager reference.
Building Equipment Contractors
Mechanical and electrical packages require close coordination with building designs and other trades. Ask whether the role manages one technical scope or several systems contracts. Compare procurement responsibility, commissioning interfaces and staffing support alongside compensation. The national benchmark does not prescribe pay for a particular California vacancy.
Which states pay construction project managers the most
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCCER Site Supervisor/Foreman | +$1.38 | $2,870 | $316 | 6 weeks |
| Fall Protection Competent Person | +$0.75 | $1,560 | $186 | 6 weeks |
| PMP or CAPM (Project Management) | +$2 | $4,160 | $575 | 7 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.62 | $1,290 | $213 |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $64.02/hr.
Questions workers ask
Are all California project managers overtime-exempt?▾
Can I request the management vacancy’s pay scale?▾
Is a higher base salary always the better project offer?▾
See Open Construction Project Manager Jobs in California
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
May 2025 BLS California Construction Managers, SOC 11-9021. This broad occupation benchmark is not a project-manager-only survey.
Last updated October 21, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.