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Building Construction Technology

Types of Degrees Building Construction Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Building Construction Technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	757
Associate’s Degree	419
Master’s Degree	742

What Building Construction Technology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Building Construction Technology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Building Construction Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

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

• Building and Construction — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

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

Skills

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

• Coordination — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Building Construction Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Building Construction Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.9 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	3.8 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Building Construction Technology professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Building Construction Technology graduates include:

• Pit Supervisor
• Field Supervisor
• Pipe Fitter Supervisor
• Mine Captain
• Wood Boat Builder Supervisor
• Ornamental Ironworking Supervisor
• Concrete Finishing Supervisor
• Highway Maintenance Supervisor
• Mining Captain
• Paperhanger Supervisor
• Construction Foreman
• Adjustable Steel Joist Setting Supervisor
• Electrical Foreman
• Carpenters’ Supervisor
• Shipyard Painting Supervisor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	28.4%
Postsecondary certificate	19.3%
Less than a high school diploma	16.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	12.7%
Some college courses	12.2%
Bachelor’s degree	10.5%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Building Construction Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 86.6% of Building Construction Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	258	13.4%
Men	1,666	86.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	762	39.6%
Asian	104	5.4%
Hispanic or Latino	597	31.0%
Black or African American	269	14.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	43	2.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	10	0.5%
Two or More Races	77	4.0%
Race Unknown	59	3.1%
International Students	3	0.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Building Construction Technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Building Construction Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,822
4 years	$32,489
5 years	$37,102

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $37,102 — roughly 10% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Building Construction Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Building Construction Technology graduates earn a median of $32,489 four years after completion — about 15% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection	46.04
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other	46.0499
Building/Construction Site Management/Manager	46.0412
Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector	46.0403
Building/Property Maintenance	46.0401
Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker	46.0413
Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher	46.0402
Drywall Installation/Drywaller	46.0404
Glazier	46.0406
Insulator	46.0414
Metal Building Assembly/Assembler	46.0411
Painting/Painter and Wall Coverer	46.0408

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.