Construction Managers Salary
Construction Managers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $117,280 a year, or about $56.39 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $113,216 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,781/month, or 24% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $117K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About construction managers
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What this looks like in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Construction managers pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $117K locally vs. $115K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,781/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction managers in metros near Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $106K | $116K |
| Rockford | $107K | $116K |
| Decatur | $104K | $118K |
| Springfield | $104K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level construction managers (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $123K spread from bottom to top.
Construction Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Construction Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $155K | +35% | 10,280 |
| Washington | $155K | +35% | 6,010 |
| Massachusetts | $145K | +26% | 9,870 |
| Alaska | $139K | +21% | 1,720 |
| New Jersey | $138K | +20% | 6,910 |
| California | $133K | +16% | 34,750 |
| Delaware | $132K | +15% | 610 |
| Oregon | $131K | +14% | 4,300 |
| New Hampshire | $129K | +12% | 660 |
| Hawaii | $129K | +12% | 2,890 |
| Maryland | $128K | +12% | 5,770 |
| District of Columbia | $126K | +10% | 1,250 |
| Connecticut | $125K | +9% | 3,620 |
| Colorado | $125K | +9% | 12,550 |
| Minnesota | $123K | +7% | 5,800 |
| Kansas | $121K | +5% | 2,960 |
| Virginia | $119K | +4% | 7,290 |
| South Dakota | $118K | +3% | 1,070 |
| Nevada | $115K | +0% | 4,460 |
| Arizona | $115K | -0% | 9,910 |
| Wisconsin | $114K | -1% | 6,080 |
| Florida | $113K | -2% | 34,010 |
| Missouri | $112K | -2% | 3,680 |
| Georgia | $111K | -4% | 10,740 |
| Tennessee | $110K | -4% | 5,860 |
| Maine | $110K | -4% | 1,460 |
| Louisiana | $110K | -4% | 5,530 |
| Illinois | $109K | -5% | 19,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $108K | -6% | 6,840 |
| South Carolina | $108K | -6% | 5,620 |
| North Carolina | $107K | -7% | 16,310 |
| Indiana | $106K | -7% | 5,450 |
| Utah | $105K | -9% | N/A |
| Idaho | $105K | -9% | 2,280 |
| New Mexico | $105K | -9% | 2,480 |
| Montana | $104K | -9% | 2,140 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | -10% | 450 |
| Vermont | $103K | -10% | 930 |
| Michigan | $103K | -10% | 9,620 |
| North Dakota | $102K | -11% | 1,450 |
| Ohio | $102K | -11% | 16,130 |
| Texas | $101K | -12% | 59,060 |
| Nebraska | $101K | -12% | 3,430 |
| Oklahoma | $101K | -12% | 1,980 |
| Mississippi | $100K | -13% | 1,640 |
| Iowa | $99K | -14% | 3,070 |
| Kentucky | $97K | -16% | 2,990 |
| Alabama | $97K | -16% | 8,560 |
| West Virginia | $96K | -17% | 600 |
| Wyoming | $92K | -20% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $86K | -25% | 2,280 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track construction managers salary changes
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Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 25.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction managers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction managers typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,330/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is construction manager a high-paying job in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $117K locally vs. $115K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for construction managers?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $115K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — below the national median.
How much do construction managers make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $117,280 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,500, and experienced construction managers can clear $178,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,091/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 25.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a construction managers salary go in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median construction managers salary is worth about $113,216 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do construction managers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.