Commercial construction recruiters serving Akron.
Standard Akron superintendents price at a real discount to national. Superintendents with mixed-use redevelopment or advanced-manufacturing delivery experience are the exception - The East End and NEO-SMART initiatives both need that profile.
A real cost advantage, plus a rubber-town legacy site becoming a mixed-use district.
Standard commercial construction superintendents and estimators in Akron price about 4% below the national average in both cases - a real cost advantage for conventional work.
Superintendents with mixed-use redevelopment or advanced-manufacturing delivery experience are the exception. The metro's own data names this directly: The East End's 400-acre Goodyear headquarters redevelopment and the $160M NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative are both drawing on specialized labor.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial GCs in Akron, and we verify real historic-building adaptive-reuse or advanced-manufacturing facility delivery experience rather than a line on a resume.
The story behind the scarcity.
A rubber-town legacy site reimagined, backed by a decade-long manufacturing push.
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Phase II reimagining the original 1.4 million sq ft Goodyear Headquarters and Goodyear Hall as a mixed live-work-play district - a direct driver of the mixed-use-redevelopment superintendent scarcity this page tracks.
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A 10-year initiative aiming to create or retain 20,000 regional manufacturing jobs and train 12,000 workers - the direct driver of the advanced-manufacturing electrician wage premium this page borrows from.
What you'll actually pay - by role.
Hourly wage ranges based on BLS OEWS data for the Akron MSA. The superintendent and estimator rows both match the metro overview's own published figures directly. Read the "notes" column for context on the derived mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing premium. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Construction Salary Guide.
| Role | Metro wage range | Typical experience | Market notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant project manager | $32 – $41/hr | 2-5 yrs | Scaled proportionally below the derived project manager row, consistent with the ratio used on our Dallas-Fort Worth commercial-construction page |
| Project manager (commercial GC) | $45 – $57/hr | 5-10 yrs | Scaled proportionally below the published superintendent row, consistent with the ratio used on our Dallas-Fort Worth commercial-construction page |
| Safety manager | $36 – $46/hr | 5+ yrs | Scaled to Akron's general commercial-construction wage baseline; advanced-manufacturing and mixed-use redevelopment both carry elevated safety scope |
| Commercial construction manager / superintendent | $52 – $66/hr | 10+ yrs | Matches the commercial construction superintendent figure already published on the Akron metro overview directly (-4% below national) |
| Superintendent (mixed-use redevelopment / advanced-manufacturing portfolio) | $57 – $72/hr | 10+ yrs | A +9% derived premium over the published standard-superintendent row, borrowed from the hub's own advanced-manufacturing electrician wage row - the hub's own text calls this the clearest premium in the metro, tied to the NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative |
| Commercial estimator (5+ yrs) | $40 – $52/hr | 5+ yrs | Matches the commercial estimator figure already published on the Akron metro overview directly (-4% below national) |
Source: BLS OEWS (Akron MSA), construction management occupational codes, projected to 2026. Actual offer rates depend on portfolio type (standard commercial vs. mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing), years of experience, and project complexity.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how the Akron commercial construction hiring game actually plays out in 2026. The five things below are what we tell every Akron construction client at intake.
Why mixed-use redevelopment / advanced-manufacturing delivery experience is the scarcest credential
Akron's own market data names superintendents with mixed-use redevelopment or advanced-manufacturing delivery experience as the premium hire across the East End and NEO-SMART initiatives.
Where Akron commercial construction talent comes from
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial GCs in Akron. Standard superintendents and PMs price at a modest discount to national, drawing on a genuinely available regional pipeline. Mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio superintendents are the harder fill, tied to the East End redevelopment and NEO-SMART initiative specifically.
Credentials worth filtering for
Ohio has no state-level general contractor license; Ohio regulates five specialty trades statewide through the OCILB - Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing, and Refrigeration. What actually separates candidates in Akron: verified historic-building adaptive-reuse or advanced-manufacturing facility delivery experience.
What candidates expect from an Akron construction-management offer in 2026
Standard superintendent comp runs about 4% below national and estimator comp about 4% below - a real cost advantage for conventional work. Mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio candidates expect a real premium given the specialized experience the East End and NEO-SMART initiatives need.
Realistic timelines, by role
Project managers and assistant PMs: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer for conventional roles. Mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio superintendents run longer, typically 6-8 weeks, because the NEO-SMART initiative's facilities and workforce investment draws on a more specialized skill set. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The construction-management positions we fill, most often.
Across all Akron commercial construction clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. Mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio superintendents are the role in genuine short supply - everything else draws on Akron's own available regional pipeline.
- Assistant project manager
- Project manager (commercial GC)
- Safety manager
- Superintendent
- Superintendent (mixed-use redevelopment / advanced-manufacturing portfolio)
- Senior estimator
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in Akron, see the Akron metro overview. To learn more about commercial construction generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Commercial Construction industry page.
How we recruit commercial construction in Akron, plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in Akron's commercial construction segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For Akron construction management, we also confirm whether the role needs mixed-use redevelopment or advanced-manufacturing delivery experience specifically, since that changes both the sourcing pool and the offer math.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing Akron construction-management candidate network for standard roles. For mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio roles, we draw on candidates with verified historic-building adaptive-reuse or advanced-manufacturing facility delivery experience specifically.
- Vetted short list (week one for standard roles). Three to five candidates. We verify real project-delivery history - dollar value, portfolio type, OSHA 30 - rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Project managers and assistant PMs close in 4-6 weeks. Mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio superintendents run longer, typically 6-8 weeks. We help with offer math against Akron's own wage table.
Akron runs 18% more commercial construction workers per job than the country as a whole — above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Construction Managers (nearest published occupation for this trade). Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Akron's commercial construction market compares
In 2023 the Akron metro had 90 commercial and institutional building contractors (counted by business location). BLS publishes that count but withholds headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers. The number of these employers fell 5.3%, as firms merged, closed or moved out. That works out to 13 per 100,000 residents against 17 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro.
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Akron ranks 58th for headcount, 77th for median pay and 27th for concentration for construction managers.
| Metro | Employed | Median pay | Concentration | Commercial employers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus | 4,000 | $105,200 | 1.48 | 288 |
| Cincinnati | 3,050 | $104,710 | 1.13 | 327 |
| Cleveland | 2,630 | $101,440 | 1.04 | 296 |
| Dayton | 960 | $98,070 | 1.06 | 93 |
| Akron | 920 | $102,630 | 1.18 | 90 |
BLS OEWS occupation figures and QCEW business-location counts; a dash means not published.
What this means for hiring:For commercial construction employers in Akron, the local pool is deeper than most, so a well-run search can usually fill field roles from inside the metro.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Akron metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Akron's commercial construction market has changed since 2018.
The number of commercial and institutional building contractors in Akron rose from 88 in 2018 to 90 in 2023, up 2%, behind the 13% growth nationally. Headcount and pay for those firms are withheld in Akron, so the occupation figures above are the better guide to what hiring costs.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial and institutional building contractors: business locations | 88 | 90 | +2% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial construction hiring in Akron.
Why is mixed-use redevelopment and advanced-manufacturing delivery experience the scarcest hire in Akron?
The former Goodyear headquarters campus is midway through "The East End" redevelopment, reimagining 1.4 million sq ft of historic buildings as a mixed-use district, while a $160M National Science Foundation grant backs the NEO-SMART advanced manufacturing initiative. That combination is why advanced-manufacturing electricians run about 9% above national - the metro's own data calls this the clearest premium in the market.
Does Ohio require a general contractor license for commercial construction work in Akron?
Ohio has no state-level general contractor license. Ohio regulates five specialty trades statewide through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB): Electrical, HVAC, Hydronics, Plumbing, and Refrigeration. General building contracting itself is regulated locally by city and county.
Are Akron commercial construction wages higher than the national average?
No for standard roles - superintendents and estimators both run about 4% below national, a real cost advantage for conventional work. The exception is portfolio-specific: mixed-use/advanced-manufacturing-portfolio superintendents command a real premium above the standard rate.
What do construction laborers earn in Akron?
BLS puts the Akron median for construction laborers at $58,830 a year, 25% above the $47,120 national median. That ranks 18th of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Experience carries a clear premium, $37,110 at the 10th percentile against $79,110 at the 90th - a 2.1x gap - so an offer at the median mostly reaches newer workers. No other Ohio metro we cover pays more for this work.
Is it hard to hire construction laborers in Akron?
Yes. Akron has 19% fewer construction laborers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,830 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed.
Which commercial construction roles pay the most in Akron?
Of the roles we recruit for, Project Manager pays the most in Akron, a $102,630 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Heavy Equipment Operator at $63,920, 38% below it. Construction Laborer is the lowest-paid field role at $58,830. Relative to national pay, Construction Laborer is the strongest-paying role here (25% above). Project Manager trails national pay the most (11% below).
How many commercial and institutional building contractors operate in Akron?
BLS counted 90 commercial and institutional building contractors in Akron in 2023. Up from 88 in 2018, a 2% increase against 13% growth nationally. BLS withholds their combined headcount and pay here, which it does when a category is small enough that the figures could identify individual employers.
Which nearby metros compete with Akron for construction laborers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Cleveland (30 miles, about 5,660, $57,180 median), Pittsburgh (91 miles, about 8,620, $50,600 median) and Columbus (110 miles, about 5,590, $60,540 median). Cleveland has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Akron out-pays Pittsburgh, an advantage when recruiting from there.
3 commercial construction seats are open in Ohio right now.
Nothing is open for this trade in Akron this week. These are the live commercial construction searches elsewhere in Ohio - commuting distance for some of them, a relocation conversation for the rest.
- Architectural Project ManagerApply →
- Junior Project Manager (Architecture / Commercial Projects)Apply →
- Service Project ManagerApply →
Every open role we are running →
Board last synced September 28, 2026. Roles move fast; /jobs/ is always the current list.
Hiring commercial construction talent in Akron?
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