General contractors are responsible for overseeing the completion of building projects, ensuring they’re finished on time and within budget. Knowing the average salary expectations of a general contractor can help with deciding if pursuing a certain job (or even this career path) is worthwhile.
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If you’ve been wondering what the average general contractor salary is in the construction industry—i.e., how much money they make and what it takes to become a general contractor—keep reading.
How much does a general contractor make?
As of May 2025, construction managers in the United States earn a median of $114,990 a year, or $55.28 an hour, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). BLS does not track “general contractor” as an occupation, so that is the closest government figure; the general contractor salary numbers on job boards are self-reported, not survey data.
The spread is wide. The lowest-paid 10% of construction managers earned under $69,690 and the highest-paid 10% earned over $189,440 in May 2025. Where a general contractor lands in that range depends on the location they work in, as well as how much experience they have.
Many also find working as a general contractor monetarily rewarding beyond base pay, with benefits packages often offered by construction firms that include:
- a 401(k)
- Paid time off
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Vision insurance
How much does a self-employed general contractor make?
There is no official figure for a self-employed general contractor salary. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey collects pay from employers, so it leaves out anyone who works for themselves, and BLS puts self-employed workers at about 38% of construction managers as of 2025. Roughly two in five people doing this job are outside the only government wage count there is.
The bigger reason is that a self-employed general contractor does not earn a salary at all. What they take home is what is left of the contract price after materials, subs, payroll, insurance, bonding and overhead. It is a margin, not a wage, and it moves with the jobs won that year rather than with a pay band. A strong year on two commercial jobs and a slow year waiting on one permit can belong to the same contractor.
The closest thing to a measurement comes from the IRS. Sole proprietorships in building construction reported an average net income of $18,909 per return in tax year 2023, across 795,086 returns. Read it as a lower bound for the trade, not an average: it counts sole proprietors only, so every GC that has incorporated is missing; most of those returns are part-time side work; and net income is the Schedule C line before self-employment tax, not take-home pay.
Any single number offered as the average self-employed general contractor salary is a guess across that gap. If you are pricing your own time, the employed figure above is the useful comparison: $114,990 is roughly what the market pays someone to run the work on salary, before the risk and the overhead of owning the business.
Top 9 highest paying cities for general contractor jobs
You may be wondering, “How much do general contractors make by city?”. Oftentimes, where we work has as much of an impact on our career satisfaction as the job itself, especially if it affects our cost of living situation.
Here are the nine highest-paying metro areas for construction managers, the closest occupation to a general contractor that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks, as of May 2025. The list only includes metros employing at least 1,000 construction managers, so a handful of senior salaries in a small market cannot push it to the top.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Mean annual wage | Construction managers employed |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $166,030 | $164,760 | 5,160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $163,040 | $168,220 | 1,850 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $159,430 | $163,750 | 4,010 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $158,000 | $162,800 | 12,120 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $156,470 | $159,530 | 7,570 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $146,740 | $151,370 | 2,690 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $133,210 | $138,000 | 3,800 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $131,680 | $139,240 | 10,120 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $129,650 | $139,680 | 6,630 |
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021), metropolitan area estimates. Metros with fewer than 1,000 construction managers employed are excluded.
At the other end of the same set of 61 metros, El Paso posts a median of $84,030 and San Antonio $98,450. From El Paso to San Francisco the gap is 1.98× for the same job title. Several small Washington and upstate New York metros would rank near the top of this list on median alone, but each employs 60 to 310 construction managers, where a few senior salaries move the whole figure.
While salary often scales to how expensive it is to live in an area, some states simply pay more for skilled trades.
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The average salary of general contractors in comparison to other construction jobs
Along with your location, your specific role and job title on a construction project will affect how much you’re paid. On construction sites, especially on larger projects, there are often multiple contractors and managers present. The pay gap between project managers and construction managers and the trades they direct comes down to scope of responsibility as much as to title. Here is how the roles compare nationally, using median annual pay from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025.
| Role (BLS occupation) | Median annual pay, May 2025 |
| Construction manager (the closest BLS occupation to a general contractor) | $114,990 |
| Project management specialist | $102,320 |
| First-line supervisor of construction trades (foreman) | $79,920 |
| Cost estimator | $78,740 |
| Plumber, pipefitter or steamfitter | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| All construction and extraction occupations | $59,540 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
So, do contractors make good money? Against the $50,980 median for every job in the country, an employed construction manager earns more than double, and the licensed trades earn about a quarter more. That is employee pay. What a general contractor running their own firm earns sits outside these figures, for the reasons above.
Factors that affect how much a general contractor is paid
As mentioned, the geographic location that a general contractor resides or works within can affect general contractor hourly rates and how much they’re paid. Pay in densely populated areas with higher labor costs and more competition will often differ from rural areas. Investment in skilled trades will also vary from state to state.
A general contractor’s skill level and experience will also affect their salary. Contractors with years of field experience are able to use their knowledge and expertise to manage projects more efficiently, allowing them to charge higher rates in comparison to less experienced contractors.
Another external element that can also be a factor in general contractor salary rates is the size and scope of the project, which determines how much budget a construction firm has to hire a general contractor.
Large-scale commercial construction projects will often require larger crews, more materials, and take longer to complete, making payment higher for general contractors.
How to become a general contractor
So how do you become a general contractor? Here are the minimum requirements to starting on the path of becoming a general contractor:
- A high school diploma or GED
- 4 years of experience as a journeyman apprentice within the last 10 years
- Passing a contractors license exam
More specific requirements will vary from state to state. Regardless, getting into a skilled trade often begins with working as an apprentice. An apprenticeship trains you on the job, so it’s best to seek them out as a starting point. You’ll also be paid for your training. While the pay isn’t exactly a general contractor salary, it’s a decent amount and is a nice bonus to learning as you go.
While it’s usually not a requirement to attend a trade school, doing so will give you a competitive edge and will make acquiring an apprenticeship much easier.
To work as a general contractor, most places will require that you have a contractor’s license. The requirements for obtaining one will further vary based on the kind of work you want to do, though exams for licensing usually cover construction law and business management.
License requirements will also differ at state and local levels, with most cities and municipalities requiring one while some states may not ask for one. Working without a valid license is technically possible, though it’s not recommended and makes it harder to find a job.
Workforce planning software for general contractors
Now that we’ve gone over the average general contractor salary and what it takes to become one, you hopefully feel more informed to make the decision of whether to take on a job and whether you want to pursue this career path.
If you’re already working as a general contractor, you know how much there is to oversee on construction projects, especially when it comes to your labor force. For this, you can enlist the help of technological solutions like Bridgit.
Bridgit allows you to stay ahead of staffing needs. With features for resource planning, you can more effectively manage and optimize your construction resources. Our organizational dashboard is built to drive operational efficiency. You can manage all project roles in your workforce and allocate accordingly with full project oversight.
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General Contractor Salary FAQ
How much do most general contractors make?
Employed construction managers, the closest occupation the US Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks, earned a median of $114,990 a year in May 2025, with the lowest 10% under $69,690 and the highest 10% over $189,440. Where a general contractor lands depends on location, experience, and specialized skill sets.
What do most general contractors charge per hour?
What a general contractor charges per hour is a billing rate, not earnings: it has to cover insurance, overhead, equipment and profit on top of anyone’s pay. This page covers what general contractors earn, which for employed construction managers is a median of $114,990 a year, or $55.28 an hour, as of May 2025 (BLS). For billing rates and the fee percentage, see what general contractors charge per hour.
How much does a general contractor make on a job?
On a single job, a general contractor earns a fee, or markup, on the cost of the work, not a wage. It is the contract price less subcontractors, materials, field labor, permits and insurance, and it has to cover the GC’s overhead before any of it is profit. What a general contractor makes on a job depends on contract size and how tightly it was bought out, not on hours worked, and it does not convert to an annual salary.
What is a general contractor vs. subcontractor?
A general contractor oversees the entire construction project and hires subcontractors to do specific tasks. Subcontractors are specialists who complete particular parts of the project, like plumbing or electrical work.
What is the difference between a general contractor and a construction manager?
A general contractor manages the day-to-day operations of a construction project and hires workers. A construction manager plans and coordinates the project from start to finish, focusing on the overall schedule and budget.
