by our College Data Analytics TeamHave you ever walked around a large city and been in awe of the buildings? Do you have an eye for interesting structures? A major in Construction Engineering will allow you to pursue your interest in building magnificent structures.
Construction Engineers lead building projects. They analyze building location, choose materials, and manage the project from start to finish. In school, students take classes in civil engineering, mathematics, computer-assisted design, geology, project management, graphic communications, and business law to acquire the skills to lead the building of large structures.
Construction Engineering was the 248th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 878 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 76 over the prior year, a growth of 8.7%.
Our 2023 Best Construction Engineering Schools ranking analyzes 34 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for construction engineering students. Explore this or one of our many other custom construction engineering rankings further below.
Project management and leadership skills are required for those interested in pursuing a career in Construction Engineering. You will take the lead on building projects, so you must be able to delegate responsibilities, communicate necessary tasks, and ensure the project is advancing towards completion without any issues. Problem solving and decision making skills will help you foresee any issues and adjust plans to avoid problems while still successfully finishing the project.
Construction engineers split their time between an office setting and working on a building site. Work in the office allows engineers to layout their plans and make final decisions on building materials and site location before beginning construction. This career is a fulltime job and due to work under contracts, overtime is common to ensure deadlines are met.
No matter what type of degree you decide to get, in order to practice, you must be licensed by the state. It is best to check with the state you intend to work in to ensure you are fulfilling all requirements to obtain a license.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional construction engineering certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are many different construction engineering degree levels. Construction Engineering programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest construction engineering degree you can get. Different construction engineering degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to construction engineering, with approximately 56.1% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for construction engineering workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 58.7% |
| Master’s Degree | 16.7% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 6.9% |
| Doctoral Degree | 6.0% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 2.7% |
About 92.9% of workers in careers related to construction engineering obtain at least bachelor's degrees. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in construction engineering have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the construction engineering career you are seeking.
While a degree in Construction Engineering will lead to a career building structures and leading projects, graduates have decided to follow different paths into numerous construction and engineering companies. Others have decided to become self-employed and work to receive contractual work.
Due to aging structures and continual growth of cities, there will constantly be a demand for Construction Engineering graduates.
Want a job when you graduate with your construction engineering degree? Construction Engineering careers are expected to grow 9.1% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to construction engineering.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineers | 335,700 | 10.6% |
| Cost Estimators | 240,800 | 10.5% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 190,000 | 5.5% |
| Engineers | 141,000 | 6.4% |
| Engineering Professors | 54,600 | 14.7% |
Construction Engineering graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $74,870 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $63,158 to as high as $109,775. As you might expect, salaries for construction engineering graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for construction engineering graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers construction engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $148,970 |
| Engineering Professors | $113,680 |
| Engineers | $99,410 |
| Civil Engineers | $93,720 |
| Cost Estimators | $69,710 |
With over 67 different construction engineering degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased construction engineering school rankings to help you with this.
Learn about other programs related to Construction Engineering that might interest you.
Construction Engineering is one of 40 different types of Engineering programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 46,178 |
| Electrical Engineering | 28,844 |
| Civil Engineering | 21,388 |
| Computer Engineering | 17,987 |
| Chemical Engineering | 12,917 |
Image Credit: By Daniel Christensen under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
