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Construction Engineering Major

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Construction Engineering

254 Master's Degrees Annually
7 Doctor's Degrees Annually
#194 in Popularity (Master's)
$69,710 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Construction Engineering Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many construction engineering technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Master’s Degree 254
Doctor’s Degree 7
Graduate Certificate 3

What Construction Engineering Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to construction engineering tech were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Construction Engineering Tech Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • 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:

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  • 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 a construction engineering tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

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  • 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 Master’s Degree in Construction Engineering?

254 Master's Degrees Annually
31% Percent Women
17% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major attracts more men than women. About 69% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of construction engineering tech majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 5
Black or African American 12
Hispanic or Latino 22
White 93
International Students 114
Other Races/Ethnicities 8

Geographic Diversity

Construction Engineering Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 44.9% 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?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median early-career salary of construction engineering technology students with a master’s degree is $75,373 a year according to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $75,373 (25th percentile) and $75,373 (75th percentile).

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It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in construction engineering tech, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Construction Engineering Tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $54,670 to $103,110 (25th to 75th percentile). 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.

Median Salary for a Construction Engineering Major  ( 54670 to 103110 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with construction engineering tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to construction engineering tech have obtained the following education levels.

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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 2020-2021 academic year, 157 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) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 36 2
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 82 3
Bachelor’s Degree 3 1
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 17 7
Post-Master’s 1 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!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to construction engineering tech.

Major Number of Grads
Engineering-Related Fields 4,838
Quality Control Technology 736
Industrial Production Technology 440
Engineering Technology (Other) 288
General Engineering Technology 255
Computer Engineering Technology 179
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology 145
Mechanical Engineering Technology 104
Nanotechnology 98
Energy Systems Technologies 95
Environmental Control Technology 89
Electromechanical Engineering Technology 43
Architectural Engineering Technology 39
Electronics Engineering Technology 39
Engineering-Related Technologies 15
Nuclear Engineering Technology 0

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.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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