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Building construction estimator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a building construction estimator. Building construction estimators usually study engineering, construction management, or civil engineering. 50% of building construction estimators hold a bachelor's degree, and 25% hold an high school diploma. We analyzed 17 real building construction estimator resumes to see exactly what building construction estimator education sections show.
The most common colleges for building construction estimators are the Walden University and the Walden University.
There are also many online building construction estimator courses to help get the education required to be a building construction estimator.
What education do you need to become a building construction estimator?
What degree do you need to be a building construction estimator?
- Bachelor's, 50%
- High School Diploma, 25%
- Doctorate, 13%
- Master's, 13%
What should I major in to become a building construction estimator?
- Engineering, 21%
- Civil Engineering, 14%
- Other Majors, 30%
Most common colleges for building construction estimators
| Building construction estimator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Walden University | 20.00% |
| Bradley University | 20.00% |
| Northwestern University | 20.00% |
| Iowa State University of Science and Technology | 20.00% |
| Purdue University | 20.00% |
Best majors for building construction estimators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering | 21.4% |
| 2 | Construction Management | 21.4% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering | 14.3% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 14.3% |
| 5 | General Education, Specific Areas | 7.1% |
Best colleges for building construction estimators
The best colleges for building construction estimators are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A building construction estimator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for building construction estimators. 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 building construction estimators.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
8. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
10. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
20 best online courses for building construction estimators
Advertising disclosure
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9. Learn Estimating & Cost Control
Develop a good practical understanding of best practice estimating and cost control on building & construction Projects...
10. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.
Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...
11. Construction Procurement Management
A course on procurement designed for engineers new to the infrastructure/construction industry...
12. Construction Claims Management
This Master Course will provide you with a professional claims management system for all your construction projects...
13. Internal Controls - Design, Implementation and Monitoring
Become a compliance specialist, maintain strong internal controls for SOX or FCPA, prepare for internal & external audit...
14. Construction Methodology Basics in Civil Engineering
New Home Construction & Building construction along with Home Repair ,Estimation & Plumbing With Video Step By Step...
15. Project Management - Complete Guide For A+ Project Managers
Complete guide to project management - stakeholders, planning, cost, quality, risks, feasibility, methods & resourcing...
16. Project Schedule: Monitor & Control Specialist (Accredited)
Schedule Management: Monitor & Control Schedule, Analyze Schedule, Solve Project Schedule Problems Earn CPDs & PDUs...
17. Bank Reconciliations & Cash Internal Controls
Mastering Internal Controls and Cash Management: Safeguarding Business Assets and Ensuring Financial Accuracy...
18. Project Management Fundamentals - The Art of Scheduling
Learn How To Schedule Like A Pro From A Pro...
19. Proper Segregation of Duties for Internal Control
This course examines and discusses key roles and tasks that should be evaluated for proper segregation of duties...
20. International Project Management - Master Class
Take your project management skills to the next level and learn how to manage international projects...
Top 10 most affordable universities for building construction estimators
The most affordable schools for building construction estimators are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and suny farmingdale.
If the best universities for building construction estimators 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 building construction estimators.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,893
Cost of attendance
18,870
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for building construction estimators
The hardest universities for building construction estimators to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for building construction estimators 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 building construction estimators 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. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for building construction estimators
The easiest schools for building construction estimators to get into are Mount Saint Mary's University, pennsylvania state university - fayette (the eberly campus), and pennsylvania state university - dubois.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a building construction estimator 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 building construction estimators.
1. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
2. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
3. Pennsylvania State University - DuBois
DuBois, PA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,079
4. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
5. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
6. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
10. Pennsylvania State University - Worthington Scranton
Dunmore, PA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,056
Average building construction estimator salary by education level
| Building construction estimator education level | Building construction estimator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $63,227 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,571 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,288 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $54,240 |
Building construction estimator education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025