Construction Engineering
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Types of Degrees Construction Engineering Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many construction engineering technology graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 2,391 |
Associate’s Degree | 659 |
Basic Certificate | 342 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 244 |
Master’s Degree | 177 |
Doctor’s Degree | 6 |
Graduate Certificate | 5 |
What Construction Engineering Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to construction engineering tech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Construction Engineering Tech Majors
Construction Engineering Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

- Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Skills for Construction Engineering Tech Majors
When studying construction engineering tech, 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:

- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
Abilities for Construction Engineering Tech Majors
As you progress with your construction engineering tech degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
What Can You Do With a Construction Engineering Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with construction engineering tech:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Civil Engineering Technicians | 8.9% | $52,580 |
Construction Managers | 11.1% | $93,370 |
Cost Estimators | 10.5% | $64,040 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Engineering?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of construction engineering tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 59 |
Black or African American | 158 |
Hispanic or Latino | 453 |
White | 1,505 |
International Students | 95 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 121 |
Geographic Diversity
Construction Engineering Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 4.0% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- India
- Saudi Arabia
- China
- Nigeria
- Venezuela
How Much Do Construction Engineering Majors Make?
Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary
According to 2017-2018 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering tech have a median salary of $60,900 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $55,900 (25th percentile) and $65,300 (75th percentile).

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a construction engineering tech degree.
Salaries According to BLS
Average salaries range from $54,670 to $103,110 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to construction engineering tech. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Construction Engineering
Some degrees associated with construction engineering tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for construction engineering tech careers below.

Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 2.4% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 16.6% |
Some College Courses | 15.8% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 11.6% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 47.8% |
Master’s Degree | 6.0% |
Online Construction Engineering Programs
In the 2018-2019 academic year, 160 schools offered some type of construction engineering technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 42 | 1 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 37 | 2 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 86 | 6 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 3 | 0 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 42 | 1 |
Master’s Degree | 12 | 6 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Construction Engineering Worth It?
The median salary for a construction engineering tech grad is $69,710 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 75% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $596,200 after 20 years!

Top Ranking Lists for Construction Engineering
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Majors Related to Construction Engineering
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to construction engineering tech.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Industrial Production Technology | 14,313 |
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology | 10,756 |
Electromechanical Engineering Technology | 10,702 |
Environmental Control Technology | 10,042 |
Electronics Engineering Technology | 9,875 |
Mechanical Engineering Technology | 7,772 |
Engineering-Related Fields | 5,997 |
Quality Control Technology | 4,315 |
General Engineering Technology | 4,212 |
Computer Engineering Technology | 4,180 |
Engineering Technology (Other) | 1,786 |
Architectural Engineering Technology | 1,362 |
Civil Engineering Technology | 1,357 |
Engineering-Related Technologies | 840 |
Mining & Petroleum Technology | 705 |
Nuclear Engineering Technology | 388 |
Nanotechnology | 123 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Pixabay under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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