What is the entry level Construction Manager salary in Austin?

Entry level Construction Manager positions in Austin start near $80,000. Candidates with strong backgrounds negotiate toward $105,000.

Is Austin a good city for Construction Managers?

Austin offers competitive compensation for Construction Managers. The median salary is $105,000.

What skills drive the highest Construction Manager salaries?

Project size and sector determine the widest pay gaps. In Austin, compensation ranges from $80,000 to $139,000.

What is the cost of living adjusted Construction Manager salary in Austin?

Austin's COL multiplier is 1.03x. The median Construction Manager salary of $105,000 here equals about $101,942 in an average cost market.

Construction Manager.

Q: Do Construction Managers in Austin earn overtime or bonuses?

Many Construction Managers are exempt from overtime. Performance bonuses tied to project margins typically add 10 to 20% of base salary. Ask about total comp when evaluating offers.

Austin.

$105,000

median salary, 3% above the national average

$80,000 to $139,000. Updated for 2026.

Get your playbook

The numbers.

Everything you need to negotiate with confidence.

Austin is 3% more expensive than the national average. For Construction Managers, that shakes out to a median of $105,000, with the full range spanning $80,000 to $139,000. Project size and sector determine the widest pay gaps. Know the range before you walk in.

Salary range

25th Percentile

$80,000

per year

Median

$105,000

per year

75th Percentile

$139,000

per year

Tap to place your salary

$80,000$139,000

How Austin compares

Austin, TX

$105,000

Cost of living: 3% above average

National Average

$102,000

Austin is $3,000 above

What you should know

The Construction Manager landscape in Austin is not what most salary sites will tell you. Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. Salaries have risen sharply over the past five years, narrowing the gap with coastal cities. 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 Austin, 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: texas has no state income tax, which can mean 5 to 10% more take home pay compared to California roles. Property taxes are above average, however, running about 1.8% of home value. When someone quotes you $105,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.

On negotiation: Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher. The range for Construction Managers in Austin runs from $80,000 to $139,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.

Top industries in Austin

TechnologySemiconductorsClean EnergyHealthcareGovernment

Negotiating in Austin

Use the no income tax advantage as a negotiation lever. Ask employers to match 90% of a Bay Area offer and show that your net pay will actually be higher.

Common questions.

Strongly. Managers on projects under $10M earn $78,000 to $95,000, while those overseeing $50M-plus projects earn $110,000 to $145,000. The salary jump reflects the complexity of coordinating more subcontractors, managing larger budgets, and navigating more complex regulatory requirements.

Both matter, but experience typically wins. A degree provides a faster path to management at $65,000 to $80,000 starting, while field-promoted managers may start lower but catch up quickly. The highest earners combine formal education with 10-plus years of hands-on project leadership.

Entry level Construction Manager positions in Austin typically start near $80,000. Candidates with relevant internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate closer to the median of $105,000. Assistant superintendents start at $55,000 to $68,000, moving to project manager at $78,000 to $110,000 within five to seven years.

Austin has transformed into one of America's fastest growing tech hubs, attracting relocations from Apple, Tesla, Oracle, and Samsung. The city's combination of no state income tax, a vibrant startup scene, and a strong university pipeline makes it highly competitive. For Construction Managers specifically, the median salary of $105,000 reflects that demand.

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. In Austin, these factors can push compensation from the 25th percentile of $80,000 to the 75th percentile of $139,000 or beyond.

Austin's cost of living multiplier is 1.03x the national average. The adjusted median Construction Manager salary of $105,000 accounts for this. In practice, a Construction Manager earning $105,000 in Austin has roughly the same purchasing power as someone earning $101,942 in an average cost market.

It depends on the position and employer. Many Construction Managers in Austin are classified as exempt salaried employees without overtime eligibility. However, performance bonuses tied to project margins typically add 10 to 20% of base salary. When evaluating the $80,000 to $139,000 range, ask about the total compensation structure during negotiation.