Facilities managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.
Facilities managers plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus. The role reports a median annual salary of $104,690 in the US and is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.54 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include facilities management in the organisation, fire safety regulations, electrical power safety regulations, corporate social responsibility, environmental management standards.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £43,365 a year for Property, housing and estate managers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £33,185 to £59,643 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 1251). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Managers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Facilities managers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 1. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
- Administrative
A day in the life
You begin the day with a walk round the building, checking security, lighting, lifts and any areas flagged in the overnight log. Back at your desk you review the maintenance requests and assign the most urgent ones, such as a failing air conditioning unit, to the technicians. Mid-morning you meet an architect and a contractor about a renovation project, checking progress and making sure the plans meet safety and environmental rules. You then review the facilities budget, approving a contract for equipment servicing. After lunch you run a safety training session for staff on emergency procedures. In the afternoon you work on a space plan to fit a new team into the building. Chasing contractors and handling complaints about room temperature can be tiresome. But when a big renovation finishes on time and people love their new space, you feel real pride in what you delivered.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Monitor the facility to ensure that it remains safe, secure, and well-maintained.
- Oversee the maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment, and electrical and mechanical systems.
- Oversee construction and renovation projects to improve efficiency and to ensure that facilities meet environmental, health, and security standards, and comply with government regulations.
- Plan, administer, and control budgets for contracts, equipment, and supplies.
- Participate in architectural and engineering planning and design, including space and installation management.
- Set goals and deadlines for the department.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Facilities managers do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate operations and functionalities of facilities and buildings. May include surrounding grounds or multiple facilities of an organization's campus.
What does a typical day look like in Facilities managers?
You begin the day with a walk round the building, checking security, lighting, lifts and any areas flagged in the overnight log. Back at your desk you review the maintenance requests and assign the most urgent ones, such as a failing air conditioning unit, to the technicians. Mid-morning you meet an architect and a contractor about a renovation project, checking progress and making sure the plans meet safety and environmental rules.
How much does Facilities managers earn?
The median annual salary for Facilities managers in the US is $104,690.
What is the job outlook for Facilities managers?
The role is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 151,400 workers.
How do I become facilities managers?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Facilities managers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include facilities management in the organisation, fire safety regulations, electrical power safety regulations, corporate social responsibility, environmental management standards, green building practices. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Facilities managers?
Our AI-durability model gives Facilities managers a score of 0.54 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Facilities managers has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.