Construction Manager.
Raleigh.
$102,000
median salary, 5% below the national average
$79,000 to $132,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
Raleigh is 1% cheaper than the national average. For Construction Managers, that shakes out to a median of $102,000, with the full range spanning $79,000 to $132,000. Project size and sector determine the widest pay gaps. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Construction Manager in Raleigh, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $119,700 for Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021) in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, based on 3,020 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$78,010
25th percentile
$96,420
Median
$119,700
75th percentile
$145,610
90th percentile
$182,990
Workers surveyed
3,020
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021) rather than Construction Manager specifically. The Raleighrange at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.
View the BLS source for SOC 11-9021Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $92,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$66,000
to $82,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$87,000
to $107,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$112,000
to $133,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$128,000
to $158,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $30,000 to the total package.
Base
$102,000
Equity
$17,000
Bonus
$11,000
Signing
$2,000
Estimated total: $132,000
How Raleigh compares.
Raleigh, NC
$102,000
Cost of living: 1% below average
National Average
$107,000
Raleigh is $5,000 below
Construction Manager salary by city.
Salary by role in Raleigh.
What you should know.
Here is what the Construction Manager market actually looks like in Raleigh. Raleigh sits at the heart of the Research Triangle, one of America's premier tech and life sciences corridors. Cisco, Red Hat, Epic Games, and numerous biotech firms drive strong demand for engineering, research, and product roles. The combination of top tier universities and moderate living costs creates an exceptionally favorable salary to expense ratio. Project size and sector determine the widest pay gaps. Managers overseeing $50M-plus commercial, healthcare, or data center projects earn 20 to 30% more than residential construction managers. PMP or CCM certifications add 10 to 15% to offers, and bilingual managers in diverse labor markets command additional premiums.
Assistant superintendents start at $55,000 to $68,000, moving to project manager at $78,000 to $110,000 within five to seven years. Senior construction managers earn $115,000 to $145,000, while directors of construction or VP roles at major general contractors reach $155,000 to $220,000. In Raleigh, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Performance bonuses tied to project margins typically add 10 to 20% of base salary. Company vehicles or car allowances of $600 to $1,000 monthly are standard, and many firms offer profit-sharing plans that add $5,000 to $20,000 annually. And on the tax side: north Carolina's flat 4.5% income tax keeps the burden low. Raleigh has no city income tax, and the Triangle's affordable housing amplifies your take home purchasing power. When someone quotes you $102,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Cite Research Triangle talent competition in your negotiation. Employers here compete directly with each other and with remote offers, creating favorable leverage for candidates. The range for Construction Managers in Raleigh runs from $79,000 to $132,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An Occupational Therapist in Raleigh earns $101,000 (1% less)
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Common questions.
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