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Construction Trades

Types of Degrees Construction Trades Majors Are Earning

Those studying Construction Trades may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	24,723
Associate’s Degree	7,098
Bachelor’s Degree	244
Master’s Degree	20,372

What Construction Trades Majors Need to Know

Studies in Construction Trades emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Construction Trades graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Construction Trades emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Building and Construction — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Construction Trades program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Coordination — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Construction Trades careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Construction Trades graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.8 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Construction Trades professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Inventory tracking software	Inventory management software	—
Oracle Primavera Systems	Project management software	—
Procore software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Prolog	Development environment software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Construction Trades graduates include:

• Underground Utility Foreman
• Maintenance Supervisor
• Building Superintendent
• Building Supervisor
• Water Softener Service Supervisor
• Utilities and Maintenance Supervisor
• Lock Maintenance Supervisor
• Reclamation Supervisor
• Service Supervisor
• Electrical Supervisor
• Steam Distribution Supervisor
• Electrical Foreman
• Surface Supervisor
• Roustabout Field Supervisor
• Cement Finishing Supervisor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Construction Trades graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	39.3%
Less than a high school diploma	18.3%
Postsecondary certificate	18.1%
Some college courses	8.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.6%
Bachelor’s degree	7.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.6%
Master’s degree	0.4%
First professional degree	0.1%
Post-doctoral training	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Construction Trades?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 93.3% of Construction Trades degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3,698	6.7%
Men	51,104	93.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Construction Trades graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	24,620	44.9%
Asian	1,091	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino	15,627	28.5%
Black or African American	6,394	11.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	722	1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	172	0.3%
Two or More Races	1,474	2.7%
Race Unknown	4,478	8.2%
International Students	224	0.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Construction Trades Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Construction Trades graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$38,872
4 years	$42,374
5 years	$47,975

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $47,975 — roughly 23% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Construction Trades Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Construction Trades. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	16	33
Bachelor’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Construction Trades Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Construction Trades graduates earn a median of $42,374 four years after completion — roughly 12% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.