The Salary Index
Salary data is based on the Athens-Clarke County, GA metropolitan area and applied to Athens using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Construction Managers Salaries in Athens, GA

Average Base Pay

$104,455/yr

7% below national average

Monthly

$8,705

Hourly

$50

Cost Index

85

Construction Managers in Athens, GA earn an average of $104,455 per year, with most salaries falling between $83,564 and $125,346 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 7% below the national average, Athens offers a more modest rate for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 85. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Athens.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$78K
Low
$104K
Median
$131K
High
25th percentile: $89K75th percentile: $120K

About Construction Managers

Construction Managers plan, coordinate, and oversee construction projects from groundbreaking through completion, ensuring that work is delivered on schedule, within budget, and to the required quality standards. They manage subcontractors, suppliers, inspectors, and design professionals simultaneously, coordinating the sequencing of work across multiple trades. The role begins in preconstruction—reviewing plans and specifications, preparing cost estimates, bidding and awarding subcontracts, and developing project schedules using tools like Primavera or Microsoft Project. During construction, they hold weekly job site meetings, track schedule progress, manage submittals and requests for information, process pay applications, and maintain project documentation. Identifying and mitigating risk is central: construction managers anticipate schedule conflicts, monitor weather impacts, manage material procurement lead times, and resolve field conditions that differ from design assumptions. Safety management is a primary legal and ethical responsibility. Most construction managers hold a degree in construction management or civil engineering, and many hold the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) or PMP credential.

What Construction Managers Do

  • Develop and manage project schedules and construction budgets
  • Bid, award, and manage subcontracts and supplier agreements
  • Coordinate and sequence work among trades to minimize conflicts
  • Conduct job site meetings and maintain project documentation
  • Review and process submittals, RFIs, change orders, and pay applications
  • Enforce safety regulations and maintain a safe job site
  • Monitor work quality and ensure conformance with contract documents
  • Communicate project status to owners and stakeholders

Key Skills & Qualifications

  • Construction scheduling with Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project
  • Cost estimating and budget control
  • Subcontract management and procurement
  • Blueprint and specification reading and interpretation
  • OSHA safety regulations and job site safety management
  • Construction project management software such as Procore
  • Change order management and dispute resolution
  • CCM or PMP certification

Career Path

  1. Field Engineer / Project Engineer
  2. Assistant Project Manager
  3. Project Manager
  4. Senior Project Manager
  5. Senior PM / VP of Construction

Construction Managers Market in Athens, GA

Salary Competitiveness

Athens currently pays 7% below the national median for Construction Managers. This gap can reflect a lower regional cost base, thinner employer density, or a surplus of qualified candidates relative to open roles—factors worth factoring into any offer negotiation or relocation calculation.

Cost of Living Impact

Athens's cost of living runs below the national average, which works in favor of this salary. Essential monthly expenses account for approximately 36% of take-home pay—a ratio that leaves meaningful room for savings, debt reduction, and discretionary spending compared with higher-cost metros.

Effective Purchasing Power

After adjusting for local taxes and cost of living, a Construction Managers earning $104,455 in Athens reaches a strong purchasing-power position. The effective standard of living this income supports is materially higher than the gross number alone implies—a useful data point for professionals comparing offers across metro areas.

vs. National Avg

-7%

Cost Pressure

36%

Purchasing Power

Strong

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

$
Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$76,252

Monthly

$6,354

Weekly

$1,466

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $104,455 for a Construction Managers in Athens translates to roughly $6,354 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,283—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $4,071 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Athens's current market.

How far does this salary go in Athens?

Cost of Living in Athens

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Athens, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

85

Below Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,250/mo
🍔Food & Groceries$455/mo
🚗Transportation$125/mo
💡Utilities$165/mo
🏥Healthcare$288/mo
Monthly$2,283
Annual$27,396
Disposable Income$4,071

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Athens to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$6,354

Living Costs

$2,283

Disposable

$4,071

Cost Index

85

Lifestyle

Comfortable

With a monthly take-home of $6,354, your estimated living costs in Athens are $2,283 ($27,396/yr). This leaves $4,071 per month in disposable income, indicating a comfortable standard of living. Athens's cost of living is 15% below the national average.

Overall, a Construction Managers earning $104,455 in Athens falls into a comfortable lifestyle tier and has meaningful room to save, invest, and absorb unexpected expenses without financial stress. With a cost index of 85, Athens is 15% more affordable than the national average, which extends your purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Athens continue to evolve.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Construction Managers · Athens, GA7% below avg

Gross Salary

$104,455/yr

Take-home

$6,354/mo

Disposable

$4,071/mo

Lifestyle

Comfortable

Source: thesalaryindex.com · BLS data

Athens City Overview

COL index, rent benchmarks, top jobs, and affordability score.

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Salary estimates are based on BLS metro data and adjusted using cost-of-living indices.