Construction Management Major

Construction management is a major that typically falls into the Business, Management & Marketing category.

There are 65 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in construction management, 74 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 29 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 1 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a Construction Management Degree?

Construction management is one of the least chosen majors in the country, ranked #131 in popularity. About 1,900 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the field in 2017. This major tends to be male dominated. About 90.4% of recent graduates are men.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of construction management majors is as follows:

• Asian: 1.9%
• Black or African American: 5.6%
• Hispanic or Latino: 6.8%
• White: 76.7%
• Non-Resident Alien: 3.2%
• Other Races: 5.7%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in construction management. About 3.2% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending construction management majors to the U.S. are Saudi Arabia, India and China.

What Will You Learn as a Construction Management Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to construction management to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Construction Management Majors

A major in construction management should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

Skills for Construction Management Majors

When studying construction management, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

Abilities for Construction Management Majors

As a construction management major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

What Can You Do With a Construction Management Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with construction management:

Careers Related to Construction Management

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Construction Managers	11.1%	$93,370

Construction Management Major Salary

Average salaries range from $103,000 to $103,000 for careers related to construction management. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Construction Management Major Jobs

Some careers associated with construction management require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much education do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to construction management have obtained the following education levels.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Construction Management

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	0%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	0%
Post-Secondary Certificate	4%
Some College Courses	12%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	4%
Bachelor's Degree	76%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	0%
Master's Degree	4%
Post-Master's Certificate	0%
First Professional Degree	0%
Doctoral Degree	0%
Post-Doctoral Training	0%

Online Construction Management Programs

There are 74 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in construction management, with 6 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Many learners are drawn to online programs due to the ease of use and flexibility. Students should be warned that those who enroll in online programs can take longer to graduate than average and are more likely to drop out.

Is a Construction Management Major Worth It?

The median salary for a construction management grad is $103,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 165% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $1,284,200 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• Business & Commerce
• Business Administration & Management
• Accounting
• Business Support & Assistance
• Corporate Communications
• Managerial Economics
• Entrepreneurial Studies
• Finance & Financial Management
• Hospitality Management
• Human Resource Management
• International Business
• Management Information Systems
• Management Sciences & Methods
• Marketing
• Real Estate
• Taxation
• Insurance
• General Sales & Marketing
• Specialized Sales
• Construction Management
• Telecommunications Management
• Other Business & Marketing

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
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