First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of construction or extraction workers.
Also called: Coal Mine Production Foreman · Construction Foreman · Construction Supervisor · Electrical Supervisor · Field Operations Supervisor · Field Supervisor
Median pay (national)
$78,690
$51,290–$126,690 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
806,080
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+5.3%
~74,400 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $126,690 versus $51,290 at the bottom 10% — 2.5x. The median of $78,690 leaves roughly 61% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +5.3% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 74,400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 54 states with released data, New Jersey pays the most for this role (median $103,850, +32% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $35,260 — a 195% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Inspect work progress, equipment, or construction sites to verify safety or to ensure that specifications are met.
- Read specifications, such as blueprints, to determine construction requirements or to plan procedures.
- Supervise, coordinate, or schedule the activities of construction or extractive workers.
- Assign work to employees, based on material or worker requirements of specific jobs.
- Coordinate work activities with other construction project activities.
- Estimate material or worker requirements to complete jobs.
- Locate, measure, and mark site locations or placement of structures or equipment, using measuring and marking equipment.
- Confer with managerial or technical personnel, other departments, or contractors to resolve problems or to coordinate activities.
- Arrange for repairs of equipment or machinery.
- Provide assistance to workers engaged in construction or extraction activities, using hand tools or other equipment.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Office software
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
- Procore software
- FranklinCovey TabletPlanner
- Graphics software
- HCSS HeavyJob
- Inventory tracking software
- Mi-Co Mi-Forms
- Microsoft NetMeeting
- Oracle Primavera P6 Enterprise Portfolio Project Management
- Oracle Primavera Systems
- Prolog
- QuickBase business management software
- Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate
- Scheduling software
Knowledge areas
- Administration and Management
- Building and Construction
- Mechanical
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Design
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics