Construction estimators top superintendents in Amundson Group pay index

Amundson Group’s October 2026 Construction Placement Pay Index shows estimators now out-earn superintendents at hire, with a median base salary of $118,750. The index is built from actual placement records across U.S. construction roles, giving a real-time look at what contractors are paying to fill key jobs.

Why it matters: - Estimators have become one of the hardest construction roles to fill, and the pay data shows contractors are bidding up compensation to secure talent. - The shift matters because estimators now clear a higher median base salary at hire than superintendents, a sign of pressure in the construction labor market. - The index is built from actual placements, not survey responses, so it reflects what employers were willing to pay to hire in the real market.

What happened: - Amundson Group published its October 2026 Construction Placement Pay Index, covering base salaries for construction professionals hired over the 12 months ending in October 2026. - The Houston-based recruiting firm said every figure comes from its own placement records across heavy civil, site development, paving, data center, rail, tunnel, wastewater and underground utility construction in the United States. - Estimators posted the highest median base salary at placement at $118,750 across 32 placements, up 19% from $100,000 a year earlier. - Estimators now out-earn superintendents at placement, with superintendents at $112,200.

The details: - Project managers placed at $112,500 across 32 placements. - Superintendents placed at $112,200 across 36 placements. - Safety managers placed at $100,000 across 15 placements. - Survey party chiefs placed at $93,750 across 12 placements. - Pipe crew leads placed at $93,600 across 10 placements. - Project engineers placed at $93,340 across 18 placements. - Survey CAD technicians placed at $90,000 across 9 placements. - Surveyors placed at $89,992 across 9 placements. - Assistant project managers placed at $89,960 across 9 placements. - Foremen placed at $87,200 across 48 placements. - Since the September release, project engineers rose 4% to $93,340. - Safety managers rose 3% to $100,000. - Project managers rose 2% to $112,500. - Superintendents rose 2% to $112,200.

State and metro cuts: - Project managers placed in Texas over 24 months had a median base salary of $130,000 across 18 placements. - Estimators placed in Texas over 24 months had a median base salary of $120,000 across 9 placements. - Estimators placed in Florida over the last 12 months had a median base salary of $122,500 across 8 placements. - Florida project managers over 24 months had a median base salary of $117,500 across 18 placements. - Florida superintendents over 24 months had a median base salary of $105,000 across 39 placements. - Florida foremen over 24 months had a median base salary of $83,200 across 42 placements. - Foremen placed in Georgia over the last 12 months had a median base salary of $93,300 across 12 placements. - Atlanta superintendents over 24 months had a median base salary of $114,220 across 12 placements. - North Carolina superintendents over the last 12 months had a median base salary of $110,000 across 9 placements. - Charlotte foremen over 24 months had a median base salary of $93,600 across 12 placements.

Between the lines: - The salary gap suggests contractor demand is shifting toward commercial and technical roles that are difficult to source quickly. - The data also shows that geography still matters, with Texas and Florida posting some of the highest placement pay figures in the release. - Amundson Group limits publication to roles with at least nine placements, and state or metro cuts with at least eight placements, which helps keep the index focused on repeatable market signals. - The firm publishes medians, not averages, and records base salary only before truck, per diem and bonus. - A role is published only when the placement window meets the firm’s minimum sample threshold.

What's next: - The live index at Amundson Group’s construction pay index refreshes as new placements land. - Amundson Group said it will continue publishing dated monthly releases so salaries can be cited as of a fixed point in time. - The full October 2026 release is available here.