BIM Coordinators work on projects in various capacities for several industries including construction and manufacturing usually involving the responsibility of bringing people together on design-related assignments. The average annual income for BIM Coordinators ranges from $57,000 to $121,000, depending, of course, where individuals live along with their level of experience. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment outlook for careers related to architectural and engineering managerial positions such as BIM Coordinator looks to increase by six percent between 2023 and 2033. Responsibilities for BIM Coordinators include managing Designers and working with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers for ensuring that projects adhere to BIM standards as well as preparing construction documents by applying BIM technology.

What Is a BIM Coordinator?

BIM Coordinators are tasks with managing projects related to the construction industry. Their jobs typically involve developing strategies, coordinating 3D modeling, collaborating with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers, and maintaining communication among colleagues as well as clients. BIM Coordinators ensure that everyone involved on a project stays in lockstep with responsibilities for creating, managing, and coordinating 3D modeling from the planning stages through completing construction.

BIM Coordinators have to make sure that proposed concepts are viable for construction projects by thoroughly analyzing designs to make sure that they are not only aesthetically pleasing but structurally sound as well as compliant with local codes and zoning regulation through applying BIM processing. BIM Coordinators’ responsibilities include assuring the geometry of a design revealed through 3D modeling for examining shapes, lines, and points within design for determining structural integrity.

Once a plan goes forward, BIM Coordinators are responsible for supervising 2D and 3D modeling involved with construction projects related to architectural design and engineering. This requires working with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers for overseeing modeling with an emphasis on structural design and MEP engineering. 

What Affects Your Pay as a BIM Coordinator

The salaries for BIM Coordinators are mainly influenced by their years and level of experience, where they work, the expectations of the position, and the type of company individuals may work for. Other factors include a person’s skill level as well as the demographics of the clientele a particular organization targets for business that might involve, for example, building homes in affluent neighborhoods or specializing in building commercial facilities.

Education

Becoming a BIM Coordinator typically requires having a bachelor’s degree related to areas such as engineering, architecture, construction management, business, computer science, or graphic design for working with BIM software, tools, and technology for designing and developing building structures or manufacturing products. Prospective BIM Coordinators should also consider online courses and bootcamps for learning BIM software and procedures. This type of training can be gained through enrolling with a variety of online education providers like Noble Desktop or VDCI for learning how to design and manage 3D modeling concepts related to creating physical structures. In this endeavor, LinkedIn Learning also offers free and reasonably priced tutorials for learning BIM design technology.

Along with live online training courses for learning BIM technology, prospective BIM Coordinators can also gain certification through appropriate channels for pursuing careers related to construction or manufacturing. BIM certification requires passing an Autodesk Certified Professionals (ACP) exam to gain expertise with 3D modeling tools like Revit. Essentially, becoming a BIM Coordinator includes knowledge with BIM technology and methodologies combined with experience related to architecture, engineering, and construction.

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Experience

Becoming a BIM Coordinator typically involves experience from working in the construction or manufacturing industries. Most candidates for the position have a college degree related to engineering, architecture, business, or construction management for designing and developing products or building structures. A college degree typically requires about four years but could take more or less time depending on the circumstances involved in a person’s life. Additionally, the number of years a person has been working in the profession will also affect what a person will likely earn with being hired.

Industry

Several industries look to hire BIM Coordinators to manage projects by applying 3D modeling for building facilities or manufacturing products. These industries include architectural firms, construction companies, engineering firms, MEP consulting, facilities management consultants, structural engineering companies, and infrastructure product developers involved with building and construction applying digital modeling.

The construction industry, like many businesses today, uses digital technologies to help with improving efficiency, increasing productivity, and reducing costs by hiring BIM Coordinators who manage 3D modeling or the Designers hired to create those 3D models as well as collaborating and coordinating with other professionals with both design concepts and analyzing data.

The manufacturing industry also looks to hire BIM Coordinators to create 3D models for prefabricating components related to designing products for commercial production. BIM Coordinators help with taking concepts from the design stage to production more quickly and efficiently, including 3D printing with tools and components.

According to Glassdoor.com, the average annual salary for BIM Coordinators working in the construction industry ranges from $67,000 to $101,000. The yearly income for applying those skills in the manufacturing industry is typically between $71,000 and $107,000. BIM Coordinators have to have strong communication skills in order to interact with Architects, Engineers, and Project Managers in coordinating 3D models with designing building structures and products or ensuring structural integrity on construction and manufacturing projects.

Location

BIM Coordinators work on projects in various capacities for industries like construction and manufacturing throughout the world. BIM Coordinators are typically tasked with bringing people together on design-related projects for building structures, physical products, and 3D modeling involved with construction, architecture, structural design, clash detection, and MEP engineering by taking disparate functions and fitting them into a coherent and organized unit. Due to today’s growing dependence on digital technology for getting work done in virtually every industry nowadays, skills in 2D and 3D modeling are in high demand everywhere with salaries varying based on location depending on the type of place a person decides to move for work, which indicates a bright future for becoming a BIM Coordinator.

BIM Coordinators are able to work in different types of cities, states, and countries for providing 3D modeling skills with designing and analyzing concepts related to architectural, engineering, and construction projects. According to Indeed.com, the average annual income for BIM Coordinators in the United States ranges from $57,000 to $121,000, which includes making between $102,000 and $137,000 a year in Seattle, $60,000 and $176,000 in Orlando, or $70,000 and $123,000 in Chicago. Salaries for BIM Coordinators in Canada range from $71,000 to $122,000, which compares to $57,000 to $70,000 in Japan. Responsibilities for BIM Coordinators include managing Designers and collaborating with Engineers, Architects, and Project Managers for ensuring that projects adhere to BIM standards as well as preparing construction documents by applying BIM technology. Of course, options with living conditions and healthcare will vary greatly depending on where a person chooses to live and work. Anyone looking for a career as a BIM Coordinator outside of the U.S. must also be familiar with the rules and regulations applicable to wherever they end up applying their skills.

Specialization

The role of a BIM Coordinator is sometimes confused with BIM Manager. While the roles are similar, BIM Coordinators typically have responsibilities on a specific project for an organization while BIM Managers have a more comprehensive role with regards to an entire organization. A BIM Coordinator’s job includes managing people as well as collaborating with colleagues who have other separate but related responsibilities on a project. BIM Coordinators oversee designing 3D models for developing building structures, evaluating clash issues, and coordinating changes on construction design. BIM Coordinators also communicate with Architects and Engineers along with updating stakeholders throughout the life of the project.

As a daily responsibility, BIM Coordinators have to manage Designers who create 3D models for projects as well as supervising changes with design for resolving inconsistencies, design errors, and clashes within structural, architectural, or engineering related systems. BIM Coordinators also manage the data involved on projects that include 3D modeling for structural analysis. This analysis involves BIM software for both shaping designs and analyzing structural integrity and feasibility. The role also includes collaboration with Architects, Engineers, and clients for keeping everyone involved on a project informed and on the same page.

BIM Coordinator may also have specializations in particular areas related to construction and manufacturing such as architectural BIM, structural BIM, and MEP engineering. Many BIM Coordinators may also work in specialized areas as Class Detection Specialists, BIM Modelers, and Data Management Specialists that typically require skills that focus on narrow areas of construction or manufacturing on projects applying BIM technology.

Pay Range for BIM Coordinators

BIM Coordinators work on projects in varying capacities for several industries, mainly construction and manufacturing. BIM Coordinators are typically tasked with getting people together, designing building structures or physical products such as tools, and 3D modeling involved with construction projects related to architecture, structural design, and MEP engineering by combining different functions into a coherent and organized unit. According to Indeed.com, the average yearly income for a BIM Coordinator throughout the United States ranges from $57,000 to $121,000, depending, of course, on where individuals live along with their level of experience. Responsibilities as a BIM Coordinator include collaboration with General Contractors, Engineers, Architects, and Project Managers for ensuring that BIM standards related to a project are followed. BIM Coordinators also prepare construction documents related to BIM modeling.

The pay for working as a BIM Coordinator varies greatly depending on an individual’s years and level of experience as well as where the person works. According to Glassdoor.com, the salary for BIM Coordinators working in the U.S. with a year of experience ranges from $54,000 to $94,000 annually. Those with up to three years of experience can expect to make from $63,000 to $98,000 while people with over 10 years of working in the profession typically make between $74,000 and $119,000 a year throughout the country.

Highest-Earning Job Titles for BIM Coordinators

BIM is a relatively new area of technology used mainly in the construction and manufacturing industries with 3D modeling, data analytics, and structural design. BIM Coordinators work on projects with various industries for bringing distinct and separate parties together along with developing models and maintaining quality control in areas related to architecture, structural design, and engineering for fitting different parts into a coherent, organized unit. BIM Coordinators usually work with Engineers, Architects, Projects Managers, and General Contactors with responsibilities for ensuring that BIM standards related to a project get followed.

Data Analyst

Skills in data analytics combined with training in BIM software can help with identifying trends, optimizing 3D modeling, and generating facilities management reports. Data Analysts have to understand and apply historical data by finding patterns within numbers that help with clarifying the current status of a project along with how problems that crop up might get solved. This can include working on risk assessment and weather forecasting, which is important for construction projects. The yearly salary for a Data Analyst working in the United States ranges from $50,000 to $129,000 for gathering data from a variety of information sources.

CAD Designer

A CAD Designer needs to have skill with AutoCAD for creating 2D and 3D models for working on a variety of projects following design concepts similar to working with BIM. While CAD skills and BIM skills are not the same, knowledge in CAD can complement skills for learning and working with BIM technology. Becoming a CAD Designer requires technical skills and expertise for designing and drafting. People who have skills with AutoCAD can work in industries like manufacturing, engineering, product development, and construction. A CAD Designer can earn from $43,000 to $109,000 a year around the country.

Architect

Architects design construction plans and blueprints based on a client’s specifications, which includes creating designs for structural systems; central air, heating, and ventilation systems; electrical systems; and plumbing. Architects can apply skills with BIM software combined with AutoCAD for designing building structures as part of their job for creating construction drawings and blueprints. Working as an Architect requires being able to hand draw as well as design blueprints during the conceptual stages on construction projects. Architects working throughout the United States can make between $67,000 and $173,000 a year.

Learn the Skills to Become a BIM Coordinator at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers options for learning BIM technology, software, and procedures through VDCI, an authorized Autodesk training center that provides education and certification related to a variety of technologies, including building information modeling. Anyone considering becoming a BIM Coordinator might want to enroll in a certificate program or gain certification in the methodology or similar technologies. VDCI offers options for broader professional training, including the BIM Certificate Program which aims to provide students with all the skills and experience they need to start working on BIM projects in a professional capacity. This course covers over 400 hours of training content, all of which is modeled on real world construction projects. There is also a combined CAD/BIM Certificate Program for students looking for even more professional construction training.

Certificate programs provide hands-on experience with BIM or similar technologies for working with Engineers and Architects as BIM Coordinators. Certification, on the other hand, verifies a person’s expertise with particular skills like programming languages, software, and some types of tools such as BIM. Education providers like VDCI also offer various AutoCAD-related certification programs, including the AutoCAD Certification Program that provides comprehensive training that prepares candidates for Autodesk certification exams. Training involves learning the fundamentals of technical drawing along with skills for drafting and creating 2D and 3D drawing using AutoCAD.

Achieving certification requires passing an exam administered by an industry recognized organization. Ambitious BIM Coordinators can pursue BIM certification through Autodesk, which offers several paths contingent on a person’s career ambitions. The Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP), for example, confirms a candidate's skills with AutoCAD, including being able to solve complicated problems with workflows and designs related to using BIM software. BIM Coordinators can also gain certification for improving career options with expertise in tools like Autodesk Revit for working in 3D modeling with designing and analyzing building structures. This can include taking on the Revit Certification Course for gaining expertise to create and manage architectural models using the Revit software.