Do you want to know how much money you can make as a superintendent? Does the potential earnings entice you? Do you want to know how you can maximize your income? If so, stay with us in this blog post.
Let me start off by telling you a story. A high school kid, just barely graduating, called me and said, “Hey, JC, I want to get into construction and eventually be a project manager. Do you have any openings for me?” I was thrilled and told him, “This is a great opportunity. I made it through, I make a ton of money, and you can do the same.
You can start as a laborer or a carpenter apprentice and help out. Once we see how hard you work, you can start helping the field engineers. Be a field engineer for a while, then you’ll start learning project management.”
His response? “I think that kind of work is beneath me. I want to go straight into an opportunity or just go straight into college and make the big bucks.” He preferred to become an electrical engineer. I told him, “Electrical engineers in the industry make anywhere from $85,000 to $125,000 a year, but superintendents can go up to $230,000.” He was still set on avoiding starting as a laborer.
This mentality isn’t uncommon. Many believe that college is the only path to a successful career, but that’s not always the case. If you want a career in construction, you can go the college route, trade school, or work your way up. Either way, the pay and opportunities are substantial. There are even individuals in construction with minimal skills making $130,000 a year as superintendents.
Superintendents make good money. Here’s a breakdown of potential earnings:
- Entry-Level Superintendent: $37,000 to $160,000
- Field Engineer: After a couple of years, you can become an assistant super, then a project super, and eventually a General Superintendent.
- General Superintendent (12-16 years experience): Base salary of $210,000 to $250,000. Including stock and benefits, total compensation can be between $250,000 and $360,000.
In some cases, it’s even more than that. Adding stock payouts can bring in an additional $50,000 to $250,000. Imagine making between a quarter to half a million dollars once you’ve reached 12-16 years in the industry, following a structured career path, adding value, and running mega projects.
Think about what you could do with that money. In two years, you could make a million dollars. It’s a significant amount. Supers can make quite a bit of money, but it’s important not to rush. Start your career, learn the roles, and build your expertise. Learn scheduling, BIM, lean, project management, finances, and contracting. Become a project superintendent, get experience, then advance to a General Superintendent or Field Director.
Here’s a breakdown of base salaries for different superintendent levels:
- Superintendent Level 1: $85,000 to $110,000
- Superintendent Level 2: $95,000 to $135,000
- Superintendent Level 3: $115,000 to $155,000
General Superintendents and Field Directors can make from $160,000 up to $230,000 a year, plus additional benefits.
If you want to learn more we have:
-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)
Discover Jason’s Expertise:
Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.
On we go!
