Post job

Senior construction manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a senior construction manager. Senior construction managers usually study business, civil engineering, or construction management. 63% of senior construction managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,505 real senior construction manager resumes to see exactly what senior construction manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for senior construction managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online senior construction manager courses to help get the education required to be a senior construction manager.

There are certain senior construction manager certifications that you should consider. These senior construction manager certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Construction Manager (CCM).

What education do you need to become a senior construction manager?

What degree do you need to be a senior construction manager?

The most common degree for senior construction managers is bachelor's degree, with 63% of senior construction managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 63%
  • Associate, 18%
  • Master's, 11%
  • High School Diploma, 3%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a senior construction manager?

You should major in business to become a senior construction manager. 20% of senior construction managers major in business. Other common majors for a senior construction manager include civil engineering and construction management.

Most common colleges for senior construction managers

Senior construction managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Maryland - College Park, and University of Houston. Here are the most common colleges for senior construction managers in the US based on their resumes.
Senior construction manager common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix9.46%
University of Maryland - College Park7.43%
University of Houston6.76%
Arizona State University6.08%
University of Washington6.08%

Best majors for senior construction managers

Best colleges for senior construction managers

The best colleges for senior construction managers are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

A senior 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 senior 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 senior 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. 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 senior construction managers

Advertising disclosure

1. Construction Management

coursera

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 Procurement Management

udemy
4.5
(300)

A course on procurement designed for engineers new to the infrastructure/construction industry...

3. Construction Cost Estimating and Management

udemy
4.6
(642)

Learn the tools used by construction management professionals to ensure their projects finish under budget...

4. Contracts Management in Construction Projects

udemy
4.3
(730)

Contracts Management, Contract Administration, FIDIC, Bank Guarantees, Contracts, Letter Drafting, Quantity Surveying...

5. Mastering Construction/Project Management

udemy
4.2
(659)

Mastering Construction-Project Management in less than 10 Hours...

6. Construction Project Scheduling

udemy
4.5
(346)

Learn the tools and techniques used by construction management professionals to ensure projects finish on time...

7. Construction Claims Management - (9 PDUs)

udemy
4.3
(302)

Construction Claims Management ... Step-by-step from Definition to Submital...

8. Construction Claims Management

udemy
4.4
(511)

This Master Course will provide you with a professional claims management system for all your construction projects...

9. The Complete Guide to Construction Management

udemy
4.2
(692)

The Most Essential Course for EVERY Construction Project!...

10. Diploma in Basics of Civil Engineering for Construction

udemy
4.3
(294)

Practical Course to Gain Quick Knowledge in Civil Engineering & Get Entry Level Jobs in Construction as Freshers...

11. Construction Methodology Basics in Civil Engineering

udemy
4.5
(1,001)

New Home Construction & Building construction along with Home Repair ,Estimation & Plumbing With Video Step By Step...

12. IT Project Budget & Cost Management

udemy
4.4
(290)

Project Management tips to manage a million dollar IT Project budget from start to finish...

13. Microsoft Excel for Construction Management

udemy
4.5
(464)

Learn to use Excel as a construction professional, start at the basics all the way to advanced formulas and visuals...

14. Projects Cost Management, Estimating, Budgeting and Control.

udemy
4.1
(1,381)

Learn how to estimate costs for any project, how to determine budget and how to use Earned Value Management tools. 3 PDU...

15. Construction Delay Analysis Techniques (Incl. TIA) - MSP

udemy
4.8
(272)

MS Project Based Construction Delay Analysis Training By N.M.Raj, An Internationally Renowned Claims Consultant...

16. How a Building is Designed and Built - Part 1 of 6

udemy
4.8
(675)

Building Construction Overview, Site Utilities, Earthwork and Foundation Systems...

17. Time Impact Analysis (SCL/ AACE): Primavera (Construction)

udemy
4.3
(330)

Construction Delay Analysis Based On The SCL Protocol & AACE 29R-03 (Includes Primavera P6 V17 Software Installation)...

18. Project Management with Earned Value Management (EVM) 9 PDUs

udemy
4.5
(483)

Project Management with Earned Value Management Earned Value Management for PMP Certification EVM with MS Project...

19. Real Estate Asset Management 101

udemy
4.6
(1,625)

Real Estate Asset Management Training From Acquisition, To Ownership, Through Sale For Profitable Real Estate Investing...

20. How a Building is Designed and Built - Part 2 of 6

udemy
4.9
(280)

The Structure - Cranes, Cast-In-Place Concrete, Precast, Structural Steel, Masonry, Tilt-Up Concrete & Wood Construction...

Top 10 most affordable universities for senior construction managers

The most affordable schools for senior construction 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 senior 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 senior construction 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 senior construction managers

The hardest universities for senior construction managers to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for senior 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 senior 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. 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 senior construction managers

The easiest schools for senior 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 senior 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 senior 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. 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 senior construction manager salary by education level

Senior construction managers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $132,505 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, senior construction managers earn a median annual income of $123,450 compared to $120,507 for senior construction managers with an Doctorate degree.
Senior construction manager education levelSenior construction manager salary
Master's Degree$132,505
High School Diploma or Less$100,771
Bachelor's Degree$123,450
Doctorate Degree$120,507
Some College/ Associate Degree$105,707

Senior construction manager education FAQs

Search for senior construction manager jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs