Online construction courses seem to be a fervently sought-after degree in recent times and have been in high demand for quite a significant while now.
The Bureau of Labor traces a growth rate of 11% in construction management for the upcoming years, proliferating much faster than the national average across other occupations.
At such a pace, we can expect a steadily increasing requirement for qualified construction managers. This makes the present times all the more ideal and promising to earn your degree in construction management.
An online construction management degree could be an opportunity for you to earn a potentially higher salary and secure a mighty career with the knowledge of the trade.
And, in this extensive read, we’ll be discussing some of the best online Construction Management degrees which you can pursue to concretize the foundation for a dynamic future.
Certain programs can offer specific arrangements, emphasizing special interests, such as sustainable building practices, etc. This makes it easier for you to opt for a program that will suit your career goals the best.
Best Online Construction Management Degrees
The schools that we have mentioned for you in the following section provide greatly accessible, top-notch, and affordable construction management bachelor’s degrees, that are available entirely through distance education and online learning.
These are our top 5 picks that are renowned for providing a comprehensive online Construction Management degree catering to thousands of students all over the States.
Located in Boca Raton, Florida, Everglades University presents a huge online education program and other branches throughout the state. Apart from offering a complete degree in construction management, it also extends degrees in aviation, business, allied health, and energy and environmental studies.
Everglades University is also known for its commitment to sustainability and green education. It has won the Leadership Awards and has been recognized as the Education Winner at the Green Arrow Awards.
Prospectus
Everglades presents an online BS in Construction Management degree that is distinctly interdisciplinary. The university provides you with an in-depth knowledge of the construction industry while extensively training you in construction laws, regulations, design, and planning. You will also be thoroughly educated in business and management applications of construction.
Your classes and lessons will cover the following topics, namely:
- Construction Estimating
- OSHA Standards
- Introduction to Sustainability
- Building Construction Drawing
The National American University [NAU] has its headquarters in Rapid City, South Dakota, and is majorly an online educator. It is a for-profit university with over 5,000 students studying online as well as 1,200 students studying on campus.
NAU offers several degree programs in all kinds of subjects and trade specialties.
NAU is a reputed institution specializing in distance education and is known to be student-centric in curriculum and services. The students work closely with a degree advisor throughout their degree program. The university also allows transfer credits from working experience and/or military training.
Prospectus
The National American University offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management that thoroughly prepares you for the official certification exam. NAU prepares its pupils to work in both commercial and residential settings as well as teaches you how to effectively manage teams and projects.
The fundamental courses in the NAU curriculum include:
- Construction Materials and Methods I and II
- Construction Estimating I and II
- Green Building Trends and Technology
- Construction Planning and Scheduling
Indiana State University is located in Terre Haute. It is a public school offering over 100 degrees. ISU also provides dozens of professional development opportunities that include certifications and special training programs.
Indiana State University has been deemed as one of the “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review and is also ranked and recognized by the Washington Monthly and the U.S. News and World Report.
ISU is a member of the College Consortium of Western Indiana which gives students access to the courses and resources at other member institutions.
Prospectus
With over 12000 students attending Indiana State, the university has left no stone unturned for comprehensively and methodically educating its pupils by providing numerous degree programs dealing in several subjects and courses.
ISU offers a fully online BS in Construction Management degree that prepares students to be leaders in a variety of construction management roles.
It provides you with all the avenues to graduate ready for work as a project engineer, project manager, superintendent, estimator, and at many other posts.
ISU’s program covers all areas of construction via its extensive curriculum which includes:
- Architectural Graphics
- Commercial Design and Construction
- Statics and Strength of Material
- Environmental and Mechanical Systems for Buildings
Situated in Glassboro, New Jersey, Rowan University is a public research university catering to approximately 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Although founded as a teachers’ training school, today Rowan University offers numerous degree opportunities through its thirteen colleges and schools.
It is a nationally ranked university and is renowned for presenting some of the best online courses in the nation. It is also considered to extend a strong foundation in courses in business, medicine, and criminal justice.
Prospectus
Rowan University offers a Bachelor of Arts [BA] in Construction Management degree that is entirely available online. This program is endorsed by North America’s Building Trades Unions and it thoroughly prepares you to manage construction sites and buildings.
Some of the classes that you will take as a Rowan student include:
- Project Administration
- Construction Cost, Estimating and Finance
- Building Construction Systems and Codes
- Fundamentals of the Construction Industry I and II
National University is principally located in La Jolla, California, with campuses throughout California, Nevada, and a sprawling online campus.
It consists of four professional schools and two colleges that presently help around 23000 students to earn their degrees.
National University is home to several renowned research centers and facilities, out of which, the Sanford Education Center and the Institute of Philanthropy are both located on the university’s campus itself.
Prospectus
National University presents a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management which can be completed online. It provides a well-rounded curriculum that enables you to simultaneously sharpen your communication and leadership skills while learning the fundamentals of technical construction. It also provides you with a strong foundation in business concepts and applications.
The classes at National will cover:
- Engineering Economics
- Plans and Specifications
- Structural Analysis
- Project Management Fundamentals
We have also mentioned some popular colleges where you can opt for getting an online Construction Management degree. These are highly ranked in the States for the kind of service they provide for their students and have been known to extend direct opportunities to work for some of the most famous and highly reputed companies.
Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute can offer students an extensive course in Construction Management Technology by providing both online and on-campus coaching opportunities.
And along with the Center for Career Opportunities, this institute is able to not just connect but provide internships to students with around 150 companies annually. While the internship period lasts all summer, the co-op, on the other hand, is held during the semester and recruitment upon graduation.
Pepper Construction and Hensel Phelps are perhaps two of the most celebrated companies that the students have the opportunity to work for. But to be able to apply as a candidate, the students must complete at least 800 hours of internship experience.
Maintaining a 2.0 GPA can be required to be able to apply for certain companies as well.
And as the degree program is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education, the students have the liberty to learn and specialize in specific areas like:
- general construction or construction in a particular area
- residential construction management,
- mechanical and electrical construction management,
- healthcare construction management or
- demolition and restoration management.
Additionally, Purdue University doesn’t just provide opportunities for the freshman but has numerous scholarship programs for upperclassmen as well. By looking up #BoilerBuilt on Instagram budding students can view all of their projects whenever they want.
The University of Oklahoma’s Norman Campus presents a Construction Science program through its College of Architecture. Students can pursue architecture and business courses to gain knowledge about the subjects’ extensive background and the communication and technical skills that will benefit them in management positions.
For completing your graduation you will be required to take the Associate Constructor Exam in your senior year as well maintain a 2.5 GPA. Only 50 students are admitted into the upper-level courses annually after completion of the prerequisites, making the degree considerably competitive.
Students majoring in construction science on campus or online can participate in a number of field-related organizations and competitions, which has earned the school many awards each year.
Scholarships are available to construction science students. Also, those who attend the biannual Construction Science Career Fair can interact with industry employers looking for interns and permanent employees.
The school is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education and boasts a 90% placement rate for its grad.
The Tempe campus of Arizona State University offers an online bachelor’s degree in construction management, one of only two of its kind in the state, through the School of Engineering. Applicants must meet a range of strict criteria that includes a 3.0 GPA and/or specific SAT or ACT scores.
Transfer and international students may also apply to the program but must meet rigorous requirements for qualifying. To make the transfer process simpler, Arizona State collaborates with colleges and universities within the state as well as California, Illinois, and Washington.
The bachelor’s course concentrates on the field’s business aspects and has numerous specializations for the students to choose from, such as:
- Commercial Construction
- Heavy Construction
- Residential Construction
- Specialty Construction, and,
- Facility Management
As per the requirement and emphasis of these programs, students can undertake fieldwork for public works and welfare, real estate, commercial construction, special building projects, and green construction. They could also work at the subcontractor level and for mechanical and electrical systems.
The comprehensive and accelerated degree program functions by providing all its students with the opportunity and chance to take advanced undergrad courses that help to reduce the time period to earn a Master’s in Construction Management.
Western Carolina University extends both undergraduate and graduate programs for all who want to take up Construction Management. The bachelor’s degree prepares graduates for positions like project manager, scheduler, engineer, and estimator inspector.
All students must complete one internship in either the summer, fall or spring semester before graduation. This work experience will count as 400 hours in the construction industry and is aimed to provide the students with the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom in a real situation, presenting a hands-on experience.
The school also has an online master’s program at the graduate level that provides all the help to professionals currently in the field to advance their careers. This program comprises of 30 semester hours and allows students to work in their own space.
East Carolina University offers a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management that could be pursued online. This degree course conforms to the National Housing Endowment’s Gold Standard Residential Curriculum.
East Carolina University extends this program through the College of Engineering and Technology, which is one of the largest of its kind in the Southeastern United States and was the first to be accredited in North Carolina through the American Council for Construction Education.
The college possesses special and sophisticated classrooms and labs, including the Caterpillar High-Bay Laboratory where students learn to work an overhead gantry crane to put together steel structures and framing units.
This degree program will provide the students with classes on commercial, residential, and infrastructural construction via in-person classes. Students are required to maintain a 2.0 GPA and complete an internship with 500 hours of construction work with a state-licensed company before graduating.
A laptop will be required for the program, which the students can get from the university’s student store at educational prices with additional savings through the store.
East Carolina also presents a master’s degree in Construction Management for those looking to advance their careers.
Other Universities that you can opt for to pursue Construction Management include:
- North Dakota State University-Maine Campus
- Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
- Florida International University
- Northern Kentucky University
- University of Wisconsin-Stout
Notable 2-year Schools and Colleges for Online Construction Management
- Arizona Western College
- Allen County Community College
- Mississippi Delta Community College
- Holmes Community College
- State Fair Community College
- Washtenaw Community College
- Nebraska Indian Community College
- Shoreline Community College
- North Dakota State College of Science
- Prince George’s Community College
- Aims Community College
- North Hennepin Community College
- Palomar College
The requirements for a Bachelor in Construction Management Degree
The programs we’ve mentioned here are entirely online undergraduate degree programs. You will be required to complete general education coursework, which takes around two years, after which you can pursue core construction management coursework. Core courses include:
- Project Administration
- Commercial Design and Construction
- Construction Materials, and much more
Once you’ve completed your core classes, you can specialize in the preferred areas of construction that you are primarily interested in. Elective work would usually cover all areas and topics falling between green technology and engineering economics.
How can you avail the best program for an online bachelor’s degree in Construction Management?
While some of these programs may specialize in business and a few others in project management, they all share one thing in common and that is an online Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management.
To find the best construction programs for yourself, start with what combinations of programs and courses will work best for you and what you want to focus on and specialize in.
There will be no scarcity of opportunities. Especially, because we have jotted down all those openings that are nationally ranked and reputed to provide the best services in this field.
For your part, consider and weigh the pros and cons of each in terms of retention rates, affordability of the programs, and salaries of its graduates, before you decide to enroll.
Also, check out the availability and opportunity for scholarships and student concessions in order to have the perfect institution for yourself.
To sum up, consider assessing the following factors to get the best program for yourself:
- Accreditation
- Faculty and knowledge of the construction industry
- Internships and other hands-on opportunities
- Format and time expectations
The duration of an Online Construction Management Degree
Although a majority of the company employers look for just a bachelor’s degree in their applicants, others can ask for a higher degree for entry-level work as well.
Hence, students often opt for associate degrees like a master’s or even a Ph.D. to go along with their bachelor’s.
This is the primary reason why the timeline for every course is different for each student. The time taken to complete a single course will also depend upon the number of classes a student takes, along with certain specializations that they might have chosen.
What could you be studying in an online Bachelor’s Construction Management degree [4 years]?
This online Bachelor’s course will start off by giving a general overview of the subjects that it’s going to cover. Its main purpose is to create a base that solidifies the foundation for other programs like Mathematics, English, etc.
So, here are some of the core courses in Construction Management that you can opt for:
- Statistics and Strength. This course is a brief overview of the various factors that affect the strength of building materials. Aspects like stresses, deflections, and static loads deal with the basic science behind building constructions.
- Building Codes. Building codes deal with the finer details of a constructed building. Plumbing, electrical and mechanical structures fall under this category, and this course helps students familiarize themselves with these concepts.
- Principles of Building Construction Management. The Principles of Building Construction Management is kind of like a history lesson on the typical roles and responsibilities of the construction management profession. Environmental concerns, current affairs, and career paths are prevalent issues in this course as well.
- Construction and Measurement. This course is all about trying to understand certain concepts that deal with the environment surrounding the building. This includes aspects like leveling, layout, soil conditions, storm-water drainage, etc.
- Safety Management. Safety and security on the construction site are something which is of utmost importance. This course will teach the students not just federal and state regulations, but life-saving equipment use and personnel protection as well.
- Project Scheduling. Before you start your construction it’s important to first lay down your plans and organize your equipment and labor. This is precisely what this course talks about, along with scheduling projects with all vendors and workers.
- Legal Issues. Land zoning, ownership, contractor liability, and litigation are some of the hurdles that can arise during any construction work. This course will provide one with the necessary tools and know-how to tackle all these problems head-on.
And if you’re opting for a Master’s degree [6 years] in Construction Management, you can find these common courses at this level:
- Construction Leadership
- Control Techniques
- Cost Estimations and Bidding Strategies
- Risk Management in Construction
- Accounting and Financial Management
There are also several concentrations and specialties that you can choose from. Most schools will offer you at least two or three, especially at the master’s degree level. Here are some of the most common ones offered to construction management officials:
- Commercial Construction
- Residential Construction
- Sustainable and Green Construction
- Heavy Construction [civil engineering]
- Specialty Construction [mechanical and electrical]
- Concrete Construction
- Building for disaster-resistant communities
Online Certificate in Construction Management
Acquiring a council-recognized certification through online sources can be done at any time. You can either go for this convenient certificate program through a vocational school or through a technical college, which might just take around 6 months or even a year to fulfill the requirements.
But what indeed is amazing about this course, is that it also opens a gateway for a professional certificate for those who have special construction management skills and knowledge.
Additionally, this program can help the students learn new and improved management techniques that have been altered over the years.
It also allows students to select either an entry-level certificate or a certificate with prerequisites, which can only be earned after completing a certain degree.
But for both cases, the period of time required for the certificate program itself will be anywhere from 6 months to 2 years.
How much money can you make with an online bachelor’s degree in Construction Management?
A degree in Construction Management will generally offer a massive return on investment. The average salary of a construction manager could be estimated to drift around $74,000 a year.
However, the earning potential could be calculated to be as high as $100,000 a year.
PayScale alone estimates an earning potential of over $126,000 annually.
This is because even more than being a highly lucrative field, Construction Management is steadily growing and expanding by the day.
It is now being taken that the requirement for construction managers will grow another 11% in the next few years.
We hope you liked our comprehensive list of some of the best institutions that offer you online construction management degrees. It is an enormously profitable and proliferating profession that is swiftly gaining momentum and being recognized due to its immense potential regarding social welfare and personal achievements concerning vocational prospects.
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