What is a crew foreman and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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The main duties and responsibilities of a crew foreman focus on project management and doing what is necessary to complete a work. They recruit, educate, track, and review staff. They also monitor daily attendance and address issues if needed. A role of a crew foreman often means constant contact with building managers who supervise the whole project.

A crew foreman is also responsible for taking care of the progress reports, estimating the timelines of the projects, and updating the budget. The role can also handle staffing problems such as overtime and leave applications in compliance with labor unions. A crew foreman must be able to handle ongoing communication with construction managers. They usually share information with the clients and contractors.

This role requires a crew foreman to have skills, usually through on-the-job training. According to the Office of Labor Statistics, foremen normally have five years or more of trading experience before stepping into the role of crew foreman. The average salary for this ranges from less than $42,730 to $106,900, depending on the industry and years of experience in the field.

ScoreCrew ForemanUS Average
Salary
4.1

Avg. Salary $51,929

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.6

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.11%

Asian 1.46%

Black or African American 5.97%

Hispanic or Latino 17.96%

Unknown 3.92%

White 69.59%

Gender

female 3.72%

male 96.28%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress Level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
7.4

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
4.1

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Crew Foreman career paths

Key steps to become a crew foreman

  1. Explore crew foreman education requirements

    Most common crew foreman degrees

    High School Diploma

    37.7 %

    Bachelor's

    29.1 %

    Associate

    19.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific crew foreman skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    CDL22.16%
    Customer Service12.44%
    Hand Tools11.11%
    Work Ethic9.40%
    OSHA7.76%
  3. Complete relevant crew foreman training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New crew foremen learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a crew foreman based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real crew foreman resumes.
  4. Research crew foreman duties and responsibilities

    • Manage construction of sheet metal installation and HVAC systems of commercial facilities including construction of storefronts and mechanical rooms.
    • Vacuum, shampoo and spot clean carpets and furniture; wash windows.
    • Install all types of roofing, siding, fascia, windows, drywall ,
    • Earn CDL license and operate machinery to assist in building the barns and sheds.
  5. Prepare your crew foreman resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your crew foreman resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a crew foreman resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Crew Foreman Resume templates

    Build a professional Crew Foreman resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Crew Foreman resume.
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    Crew Foreman Resume
  6. Apply for crew foreman jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a crew foreman job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Crew Foreman Job

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Average crew foreman salary

The average Crew Foreman salary in the United States is $51,929 per year or $25 per hour. Crew foreman salaries range between $41,000 and $64,000 per year.

Average Crew Foreman Salary
$51,929 Yearly
$24.97 hourly

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How do crew foremen rate their job?

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Crew Foreman reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Pros

I like most is being able to motivate and encourage the crew to do the best they can and all there efforts are appreciated I feel that a positive attitude toward your employees resault in a more positive attitude throughout the company as a whole I also like to keep everyone aware of the safety hazards around there work space and maintain a safe work place environment but what I enjoy most is being able to look back at a job complete and know that I was the one in charge of completing that job and it gives me that great feeling of accomplishment

Cons

I don't like when I have to terminate an employee I always feel like there was more than I could have done a better job motavating and incorporating that employee in a different position in the company that would have benefited both the employee and the company


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019
Pros

I like finishing the project before the deadline. I like coordination, making decisions or save and easy ways,estimating of materials needed, cooperating and leading my team work and etc.

Cons

I don't like when there is no project.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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