Construction Management is a very popular and diverse field as it combines design, engineering, and business management principles with many other subjects. With a degree in this area, you can get employed as an Architectural and Engineering Manager, Civil Engineer, Architect, Landscape Architect, and so on.
What Degree Do You Need for Construction Management?
If you are interested in Construction Management, you can pursue a degree in this subject. A degree in Construction Management is offered at many levels by numerous well-reputed universities in the US. For example, the University of Florida and the University of Washington, etc. offer a Certificate in Construction Management. Similarly, an Associate of Arts in Construction Management Technology is offered by the New York City College of Technology like many others.
Moreover, a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management is offered by the University of Florida, the Florida Tech College of Engineering and the University of Washington, etc. On the other hand, a Master of Science in Construction Management is offered by the NYU, the University of Washington, the University of Miami, and more.
What Is Construction Management?
It is a professional service needed by a project’s owner(s) who is skilled in managing the schedule, cost, safety, quality, and functions of a project. A construction manager is responsible for the timely completion of a project while maintaining all safety regulations and quality.
What Can You Do with a Construction Management?
A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Construction Management can help you land any of the following well-paying careers. The salary data of these careers was reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
A bachelor’s degree in Construction Management with 5 years of work experience in this field makes you eligible for this advanced-level career. However, employers may prefer hiring candidates who possess a master’s degree and up to 5 years of field experience. Architectural and Engineering Managers plan and head all activities in the field of architecture and engineering. They also carry out research and development in these areas.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $144,830 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 3% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $152,930 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 34,140 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | California | $179,860 |
Civil Engineers
After completing a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, you can work as a Civil Engineer. They plan and design building structures and facilities like roads, bridges, airports, railroads, harbors, dams, power plants, water and sewage systems, and so on. They also head all construction and maintenance processes of these building structures.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $87,060 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 6% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $94,360 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 49,090 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | California | $110,480 |
With a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, you become eligible to work as an architect. Their job requires planning and creating building structure designs that include residential and office buildings, factories, production plants, malls, theaters, and so on.
| Annual Median Salary, 2019 | $80,750 | |
| Job Outlook, 2018-2028 | 8% | |
| Annual Mean Salary, 2019 | $89,560 | |
| State with the Highest Employment Level, 2019 | California | 14,480 |
| State with the Highest Salary, 2019 | New York | $106,910 |
What to Expect from a Construction Management Degree?
The gist of the curriculum for a degree in Construction Management will be the same for every level meaning it will include courses related to construction and management. However, the courses at the master’s level would include advanced and difficult concepts as compared to the curriculum of a bachelor’s/associate’s degree or a certificate. For example, the curriculum of Bachelor of Science in Construction Management offered by the University of Florida has courses like,
- Construction Techniques
- Equipment and Methods for Heavy/Highway Construction
- Construction, Safety, Health and the Environment
- Construction Project Management and so on.
Whereas, the curriculum of Master of Science in Construction Management offered by the University of Miami includes courses like,
- Sustainable Construction
- Construction Project Management
- Construction Accounting & Finance
- Computer-Aided Architecture Engineering Design etc.
How to Choose a Construction Management Degree?
There are several things to consider while choosing a degree and institution. The degree you complete may determine your future career. Therefore, you should consider the reputation of your selected university, accreditation of the selected degree, the suitability of its curriculum, duration of the program, faculty’s diversity as well as the admission and graduation requirements, etc.
Every degree level has different requirements for graduation as set by the university. For instance, the Bachelor of Science in Construction Management offered by the University of Florida requires its students to complete 125 credit hours to graduate. While the students of Master of Science in Construction Management offered by the University of Miami must complete 30 credit hours to graduate.
Construction Management Degree Admission Requirements
The admission requirements for a bachelor’s degree vary in comparison to those of a master’s degree. For example, if you are interested in applying for the Bachelor of Science in Construction Management offered by the University of Florida, you will need to submit,
- A complete application
- An application processing fee
- Official transcripts from previous institutions
- Satisfactory scores on achievement or aptitude tests such as the SAT, ACT, and/or TOEFL
- A satisfactory conduct record
For specific details on a degree, please check out the official website of your desired university.