Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Construction Manager Salary in Indianapolis
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Management · COL Index: 91
Construction Managers in Indianapolis, IN earn a median annual wage of $102,720 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $54,880 and the 90th at $168,790. After cost of living, that translates to $112,879 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: B (75/100).
What Construction Managers Take Home in Indianapolis
The $113,910 spread between entry-level and top-decile construction managers in Indianapolis is wide — about 111% of the median. That breadth points to a trade where specialization, certifications, and supervisory roles meaningfully change earning potential. Top-decile workers can earn substantially more than the headline median suggests, particularly in industrial or commercial-grade work.
Indianapolis's cost-of-living index of 91 sits below the U.S. average, so the $102,720 median wage for construction managers here actually translates upward — to roughly $112,879 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Below-average rent, groceries, and services mean wages tend to go further here than nominal numbers suggest.
With a Trade Pay Score of 75 (B), construction managers in Indianapolis land in the strong second tier. Pay, growth, and purchasing power are all solid but one factor — usually wage growth or cost-of-living-adjusted real pay — keeps the score below the A threshold. For most workers, B-graded combinations are perfectly reasonable career choices.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $54,880 | $60,308 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $79,940 | $87,846 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $102,720 | $112,879 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $128,590 | $141,308 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $168,790 | $185,484 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for construction managers, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Indianapolis are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Construction Manager make in Indianapolis?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median construction manager salary in Indianapolis, IN is $102,720. The 10th percentile is $54,880 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $168,790 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Indianapolis pay compare for Construction Managers?
With a Trade Pay Score of 75/100 and a grade of B, the Indianapolis-Construction Manager pairing is a strong combination but with one factor (usually growth or cost-of-living-adjusted real pay) holding it back from an A grade.
What is the apprenticeship path for Construction Managers in Indianapolis?
Construction Manager entry typically does not require a formal apprenticeship — entry-level workers earn around $54,880 and reach median pay over 5-10 years of experience. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Construction Manager pay in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis has a cost-of-living index of 91. The median construction manager salary of $102,720 translates to $112,879 in U.S.-average purchasing power — an upward adjustment because the metro is less expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Other High-Paying Trades in Indianapolis
$113,710 median · Grade B
$105,660 median · Grade B
$105,660 median · Grade B
$93,130 median · Grade C
$80,440 median · Grade C
$80,050 median · Grade C
Construction Managers in Indianapolis, IN earn a median annual wage of $102,720 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $54,880 and the 90th at $168,790. After cost of living, that translates to $112,879 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: B (75/100).
For Construction Managers in Indianapolis, IN, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
Every number on this page links back to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the methodology page describes the inputs, refresh cadence, and known limitations of the underlying data product.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for Construction Managers in Indianapolis, IN is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.