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Construction

What Construction Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Construction 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 4.5 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Construction program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Coordination — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Management of Personnel Resources — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

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

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

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Construction graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.9 / 7
Scheduling Work and Activities	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Construction professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Construction graduates include:

• Traffic Sign Supervisor
• Building Insulation Supervisor
• Road Gang Supervisor
• Asbestos Removal Supervisor
• Track Supervisor
• Service Supervisor
• Structural Steel Erection Supervisor
• Rig Superintendent
• Marble Supervisor
• Mining Captain
• Multifamily Superintendent
• Rig Supervisor
• Marble Installer Supervisor
• Construction Supervisor
• Construction Coordinator

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	34.1%
Less than a high school diploma	20.6%
Postsecondary certificate	16.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	10.8%
Some college courses	8.8%
Bachelor’s degree	8.7%

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

How Much Do Construction Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Construction 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	$39,670
4 years	$37,868
5 years	$45,686

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,686 — roughly 15% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Construction Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Construction. 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	7	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 Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Construction graduates earn a median of $37,868 four years after completion — essentially in line with 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	Annual Degrees Awarded
Construction Trades	54,802
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers	35,577
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection	6,978
Carpenters	5,356
Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services	3,471
Mason/Masonry	378
Construction Trades, Other	281

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.