Construction Manager Salary: San Francisco, CA vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison of wages and local price levels for Construction Managers in San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data and BEA regional price parities for 2024.
1Which City Pays More?
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $166,030▲ | $159,430 | +$6,600 |
| 25th Percentile | $127,040 | $133,100▲ | -$6,060 |
| 75th Percentile | $188,750▲ | $186,460 | +$2,290 |
| 90th Percentile | $225,120▲ | $221,370 | +$3,750 |
| Price Level (BEA 2024, US = 100) | 115.6 | 111.1 | +4.5 |
| Median at National-Average Prices | $143,608▲ | $143,459 | +$149 |
| Total Employment | 5,160 | 4,010 | +1,150 |
3Summary Analysis
On paper, San Francisco, CA pays $6,600 more (median: $166,030 vs $159,430). BEA's regional price parity is 115.6 in San Francisco, CA and 111.1 in Seattle, WA (United States = 100). At national-average prices the medians are $143,608 and $143,459, so San Francisco, CA comes out ahead once local prices are counted.
5Reading This Comparison
The $6,600 gap between the two medians is a gap in dollars, not in what those dollars buy. Dividing each median by its area's regional price parity restates it at national-average prices: $143,608 for San Francisco and $143,459 for Seattle, a difference of $149.
The price levels come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which describes them this way: “Regional price parities (RPPs) measure the differences in price levels across states and metropolitan areas for a given year and are expressed as a percentage of the overall national price level.” The figures used here are the all-items index for each whole metropolitan area (San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA) and cover prices only, not taxes.
BLS estimates 5,160 Construction Manager jobs in the San Francisco area and 4,010 in the Seattle area. For broader context, see our California overview and the full Construction Manager city ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Construction Manager salary higher in San Francisco, CA or Seattle, WA?
San Francisco, CA has the higher median wage for Construction Managers ($166,030 per year, against $159,430 in Seattle, WA; BLS OEWS May 2025). Restated at national-average prices using BEA regional price parities, the medians are $143,608 in San Francisco, CA and $143,459 in Seattle, WA.
How do prices compare between San Francisco, CA and Seattle, WA?
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis puts the 2024 regional price parity at 115.6 for the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metropolitan area and 111.1 for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, where the United States is 100. That is 15.6% above the national level for San Francisco, CA and 11.1% above the national level for Seattle, WA.
Which city pays Construction Managers more once local prices are counted?
San Francisco, CA: at national-average prices its median Construction Manager wage is $143,608, against $143,459 for Seattle, WA. The adjustment divides each median by the area's BEA regional price parity and covers prices only, not taxes.