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Construction Engineering

Types of Degrees Construction Engineering Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	898
Master’s Degree	663
Doctor’s Degree	6

What Construction Engineering Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.9 / 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 Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Construction Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Construction Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Construction Engineering graduates include:

• Engineer
• Project Engineer
• Engineering Faculty Member
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Fundamentals Instructor
• Petroleum Engineering Teacher
• Drafting Teacher
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Ship Design Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Teacher
• Chemical Engineering Professor
• Ceramic Engineering Professor
• Aeronautical Engineering Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	41.9%
Doctoral degree	22.8%
Master’s degree	11.9%
Post-doctoral training	6.0%
Post-master’s certificate	5.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.2%
Postsecondary certificate	1.6%
First professional degree	1.5%
Some college courses	1.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Construction Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 78.7% of Construction Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	333	21.3%
Men	1,234	78.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	694	44.3%
Asian	31	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino	211	13.5%
Black or African American	68	4.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	4	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.1%
Two or More Races	31	2.0%
Race Unknown	19	1.2%
International Students	507	32.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Construction Engineering Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Construction Engineering 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	$78,190
4 years	$90,572
5 years	$102,993

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $102,993 — roughly 32% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Construction Engineering Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Construction Engineering. 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
Bachelor’s	2	0
Master’s	4	4
Doctoral (Research)	1	0

^{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 Engineering Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Construction Engineering graduates earn a median of $90,572 four years after completion — roughly 138% 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.}

Related Programs

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

Program	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Chemical Engineering	14.07
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.47

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.