Construction Engineering Tech

Types of Degrees Construction Engineering Tech Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many construction engineering technology graduations there were in 2021-2022 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	2,750
Associate Degree	686
Basic Certificate	371
Undergraduate Certificate	159

What Construction Engineering Tech 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

This major prepares you for careers in which these 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

A major in construction engineering tech prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• 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

A major in construction engineering tech will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• 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 Tech 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

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Construction Engineering Tech?

This major attracts more men than women. About 80% 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:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	13
Black or African American	59
Hispanic or Latino	162
White	393
International Students	14
Other Races/Ethnicities	45

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Construction Engineering Tech. About 2.0% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Construction Engineering Tech Majors Make?

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 the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

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 Tech

Some careers associated with construction engineering tech require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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.

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 Tech Programs

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)	33	2
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	80	4
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	18	8
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Construction Engineering Tech 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!

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.