A construction manager in Chile earns between CLP 1.3 million and CLP 1.9 million gross a month in the fourth year after graduating, depending on the institution, according to the Employment and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro, run by the Undersecretariat of Higher Education. The top bracket, CLP 1.8 million to CLP 1.9 million, belongs to graduates of U. de Santiago de Chile, PUC and U. de Las Américas.
The tool lists 11 Construction Management programs, 9 of which report income, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.50 million. On average, 76.9% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 79.9% in their second. This guide explains how much a construction manager earns in Chile by institution, how long it takes to find work and how the field compares with similar degrees.
How much a construction manager earns in Chile by university
| Gross income bracket in year 4 | Institutions | Count |
|---|---|---|
| CLP 1.8 to 1.9 million | U. de Santiago de Chile, PUC, U. de Las Américas | 3 |
| CLP 1.6 to 1.7 million | U. Mayor | 1 |
| CLP 1.3 to 1.4 million | IP Los Lagos, IP AIEP, IP Inacap, IP Santo Tomás, U. Católica de la Santísima Concepción | 5 |
| No data | U. Técnica Federico Santa María, U. de Los Lagos | 2 |
Source: Mi Futuro, Construction Management (11 programs, 9 with income data), accessed November 7, 2026. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly pay of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduating, calculated with data from the Internal Revenue Service (SII) and expressed in September 2025 pesos. The employment rate is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases show "no information" (s/i). The highest bracket the tool publishes runs from CLP 2.5 to 3 million.
The top bracket, CLP 1.8 to 1.9 million, is shared by the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, the University of Santiago and Universidad de Las Américas. The four professional institutes with data, AIEP, Inacap, Los Lagos and Santo Tomás, are in the CLP 1.3 to 1.4 million bracket, as is the Catholic University of the Most Holy Conception.
In the table below you can search for your institution and sort by income or employment rate:
| Universidad de Santiago de Chile | 1.8 | 88.0% | 84.4% |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 1.8 | 84.8% | 90.6% |
| Universidad de Las Américas | 1.8 | 81.0% | 89.2% |
| Universidad Mayor | 1.6 | 77.6% | 84.1% |
| IP Los Lagos | 1.3 | 78.8% | 81.3% |
| IP AIEP | 1.3 | 71.7% | 73.9% |
| IP Inacap | 1.3 | 67.7% | 72.7% |
| IP Santo Tomás | 1.3 | 65.7% | 74.3% |
| Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción | 1.3 | 62.9% | 70.9% |
| Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María | No data | 88.6% | 91.4% |
| Universidad de Los Lagos | No data | 79.4% | 66.1% |
Construction manager, construction engineer or civil engineer: how much each earns
Three degrees lead to running building sites in Chile. Construcción Civil, offered by universities and professional institutes, trains the professional who manages the site, costs and deadlines. Ingeniería en Construcción has a similar focus with more management. Civil Engineering in Civil Works is the longest degree, with more structural design. In Mi Futuro, their average lower bounds are CLP 1.50 million, CLP 1.47 million and CLP 2.00 million, respectively.
Pay also depends on the industry cycle. The Chilean Chamber of Construction (CChC) reported that construction employed about 712,000 people in June 2026 and estimated a gap of 198,000 jobs relative to its potential level, according to Emol. In October, the CChC projected recovering up to 250,000 jobs by the end of 2027 as housing picks up, Pauta reported.
| Industry figure | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| People employed in construction (June 2026) | 712,000 | CChC via Emol |
| Gap versus potential employment | 198,000 jobs | CChC via Emol |
| Jobs the CChC expects to recover by end-2027 | Up to 250,000 | CChC via Pauta |
Employment of construction managers in Chile
View the data as a table
| Average lower bound of the year-4 income bracket | CLP 1.50 M |
| Employment rate in year 1 | 76.9% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 79.9% |
| Average actual duration | 11.5 semesters |
| Indicator (Construction Management) | Range across institutions | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| Employment rate in year 1 | 62,9% (U. Católica de la Santísima Concepción) – 88,6% (U. Técnica Federico Santa María) | 76.9% |
| Employment rate in year 2 | 66,1% (U. de Los Lagos) – 91,4% (U. Técnica Federico Santa María) | 79.9% |
| Actual length of the degree | 10,7 – 12,0 | 11.5 semesters |
| First-year retention | 63,9% (IP Santo Tomás) – 88,1% (PUC) | 75.3% |
Source: Mi Futuro, our own calculation of simple averages. Three in four construction managers earn above the minimum wage in their first year. Graduates of Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, the University of Santiago and the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile exceed 84% first-year employment. The relationship between income and employment by institution is shown in this chart:
View the data as a table
| Employment rate in year 1 | Lower bound of year-4 income bracket (CLP millions) | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad de Santiago de Chile | 88.00% | 1.80 |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | 84.80% | 1.80 |
| Universidad de Las Américas | 81.00% | 1.80 |
| Universidad Mayor | 77.60% | 1.60 |
| IP Los Lagos | 78.80% | 1.30 |
| IP AIEP | 71.70% | 1.30 |
| IP Inacap | 67.70% | 1.30 |
| IP Santo Tomás | 65.70% | 1.30 |
| Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción | 62.90% | 1.30 |
Construction managers versus other construction degrees
| Degree | Average lower bound of year-4 income bracket | Average employment rate in year 1 | Programs with income data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Engineering | CLP 2.15 million | 85.1% | 29 |
| Civil Engineering (civil works) | CLP 2.00 million | 84.3% | 6 |
| Construction Management | CLP 1.50 million | 76.9% | 9 |
| Construction Engineering | CLP 1.47 million | 75.0% | 15 |
| Architecture | CLP 1.34 million | 58.8% | 17 |
Source: Mi Futuro, accessed November 7, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. Construction Management and Construction Engineering are almost tied, above Architecture, and civil engineering in civil works beats them by about half a million pesos. To compare, see how much an architect earns and how much an industrial engineer earns.
How much a construction manager earns in Chile: from gross to net pay
For a construction manager with gross pay equal to the degree's average lower bound, CLP 1.50 million, the legal deductions are the pension fund (AFP) contribution (10% plus the fee), health (7% in Fonasa or the isapre plan), unemployment insurance (0.6% on an open-ended contract) and income tax. With a fee of about 1.5%, contributions add up to roughly 19.1%, leaving about CLP 1.21 million before income tax, which depends on the income bracket (our own approximate calculation). For reference, the minimum wage in Chile has been CLP 553,553 since May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction manager earn right after graduating in Chile?
There is no official first-year income figure. Mi Futuro reports income in the fourth year: between CLP 1.3 million and CLP 1.9 million gross depending on the institution, with an average lower bound of CLP 1.50 million.
Where should you study Construction Management to earn more?
According to Mi Futuro, graduates of U. de Santiago de Chile, PUC and U. de Las Américas are in the top bracket in year 4, CLP 1.8 million to CLP 1.9 million.
Is it easy to find work as a construction manager?
On average, 76.9% of graduates earn above the minimum wage in their first year and 79.9% in their second, according to Mi Futuro.
Does a construction manager or an architect earn more?
On average, the construction manager: an average lower bound of CLP 1.50 million in year 4, versus CLP 1.34 million in Architecture, according to Mi Futuro.
What is the difference between a constructor civil and a construction engineer?
Both run building sites. Construcción Civil focuses on site administration and is also taught at professional institutes; Ingeniería en Construcción adds more management. Their year-4 incomes are similar according to Mi Futuro.
