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Construction Manager Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a construction manager. Construction managers usually study business, civil engineering, or construction management. 61% of construction managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 32,027 real construction manager resumes to see exactly what construction manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for construction managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online construction manager courses to help get the education required to be a construction manager.
There are certain construction manager certifications that you should consider. These construction manager certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Construction Manager (CCM).
What education do you need to become a construction manager?
What degree do you need to be a construction manager?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Associate, 18%
- Master's, 9%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a construction manager?
- Business, 22%
- Civil Engineering, 14%
- Architecture, 7%
- Other Majors, 44%
Most common colleges for construction managers
Construction Manager Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 9.78% |
| Texas A&M University | 8.85% |
| University of Houston | 6.79% |
| Purdue University | 6.04% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.86% |
Best majors for construction managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 21.8% |
| 2 | Civil Engineering | 14.5% |
| 3 | Construction Management | 13.5% |
| 4 | Architecture | 7.2% |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering | 5.0% |
Best colleges for construction managers
The best colleges for construction managers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
A construction manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for construction managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become construction managers.
1. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
5. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-State Tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
20 best online courses for construction managers
Advertising Disclosure
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The Construction Management specialization is curated for professionals in the construction and civil engineering industry looking to advance their careers. Through this specialization, students will gain comprehensive industry knowledge along with the latest trends and development within the industry. This 5-course specialization will cover the major facets of construction management including project initiation and planning, scheduling techniques and procedures, cost estimating and control,...
2. Construction Cost Estimating and Management
Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...
3. Mastering Construction/Project Management
Mastering Construction-Project Management in less than 10 Hours...
4. Contracts Management in Construction Projects
Contracts Management, Contract Administration, FIDIC, Bank Guarantees, Contracts, Letter Drafting, Quantity Surveying...
5. Construction Procurement Management
A course on procurement designed for engineers new to the infrastructure/construction industry...
6. Construction Claims Management - (9 PDUs)
Construction Claims Management ... Step-by-step from Definition to Submital...
7. The Complete Guide to Construction Management
The Most Essential Course for EVERY Construction Project!...
8. Construction Project Scheduling
Learn the tools and techniques used by construction management professionals to ensure projects finish on time...
9. Construction Claims Management
This Master Course will provide you with a professional claims management system for all your construction projects...
10. Diploma in Basics of Civil Engineering for Construction
Practical Course to Gain Quick Knowledge in Civil Engineering & Get Entry Level Jobs in Construction as Freshers...
Top 10 most affordable universities for construction managers
The most affordable schools for construction managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for construction managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for construction managers.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,262
Cost of Attendance
14,046
2. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,306
Cost of Attendance
16,091
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,309
Cost of Attendance
16,714
4. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,798
Cost of Attendance
18,306
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,620
Cost of Attendance
18,136
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for construction managers
The hardest universities for construction managers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for construction managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for construction managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
8%
SAT Average
1,492
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
13%
SAT Average
1,445
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
20%
SAT Average
1,419
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for construction managers
The easiest schools for construction managers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of north texas at dallas.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a construction manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for construction managers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
983
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions Rate
68%
SAT Average
964
3. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions Rate
83%
SAT Average
992
4. Pennsylvania State University - Worthington Scranton
Dunmore, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
82%
SAT Average
1,056
5. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions Rate
70%
SAT Average
849
Average construction manager salary by education level
| Construction Manager education level | Construction Manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $94,890 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $74,805 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $89,231 |
| Doctorate Degree | $87,380 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $77,979 |
Construction Manager Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025