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Construction/program manager education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a construction/program manager. Construction/program managers usually study business, civil engineering, or construction management. 72% of construction/program managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 247 real construction/program manager resumes to see exactly what construction/program manager education sections show.
The most common colleges for construction/program managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online construction/program manager courses to help get the education required to be a construction/program manager.
There are certain construction/program manager certifications that you should consider. These construction/program manager certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Construction Manager (CCM).
What education do you need to become a construction/program manager?
What degree do you need to be a construction/program manager?
- Bachelor's, 72%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 10%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a construction/program manager?
- Business, 18%
- Civil Engineering, 15%
- Other Majors, 45%
Most common colleges for construction/program managers
| Construction/program manager common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 11.76% |
| University of Florida | 7.84% |
| Ohio State University | 5.88% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.88% |
| University of Virginia | 5.88% |
Best majors for construction/program managers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 17.6% |
| 2 | Civil Engineering | 15.3% |
| 3 | Construction Management | 13.7% |
| 4 | Electrical Engineering | 8.4% |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering | 6.1% |
Best colleges for construction/program managers
The best colleges for construction/program managers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A construction/program 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/program 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/program 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. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
4. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
6. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
7. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
8. Texas A&M University
College Station, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$11,870
Enrollment
53,194
9. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
10. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
20 best online courses for construction/program managers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for construction/program managers
The most affordable schools for construction/program managers are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for construction/program 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/program managers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
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 construction/program managers
The hardest universities for construction/program managers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for construction/program 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/program 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. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
5. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
9. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
10. University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN • Private
Admissions rate
18%
SAT average
1,502
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for construction/program managers
The easiest schools for construction/program 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/program 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/program 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. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
7. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
8. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
9. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
10. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
Average construction/program manager salary by education level
| Construction/program manager education level | Construction/program manager salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $120,126 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $101,158 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $114,905 |
| Doctorate Degree | $113,178 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $104,241 |
Construction/program 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