National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
Compare a different job:
VS
QUICK ANSWER
Software Engineers earn a national median of $132,270/year vs Construction Managers at $104,900/year. Software Engineers earn 21% more nationally. The gap is $27,370 per year — or $2,281 per month.
Built by Pierre — MBA, Business Strategist & AI Consultant, Founder of DayblipAbout the author →
Software Engineer
$132,270
national median/year
$11,023/mo • $64/hr
VS
Construction Manager
$104,900
national median/year
$8,742/mo • $50/hr
Annual salary gap
$27,370
Software Engineers earn 21% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $310,247.
Best states for Construction Managers
vs Software Engineers
Hawaii+$10,580
Alaska+$6,580
North Dakota+$2,580
South Dakota+$580
Wyoming+$-1,420
Best states for Software Engineers
vs Construction Managers
California+$33,420
Washington+$29,420
Colorado+$27,420
Oregon+$21,420
Georgia+$19,420
Share Your Result
Surprised by this number? Share it with friends and family
Software Engineers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Software Engineers is $132,270 versus $104,900 for Construction Managers — a difference of $27,370 per year or $2,281 per month.
The national median salary gap between Software Engineers and Construction Managers is $27,370 per year. Software Engineers earn 21% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $310,247.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Software Engineers the highest median salary at $168,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Construction Managers the highest median salary at $134,900 per year.
Salary is one factor — Software Engineers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Software Developers and Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Construction Managers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Software Engineers earn approximately $64 per hour nationally and Construction Managers earn approximately $50 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
