Construction Engineering Technology/Technician: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician graduates earn a median $93,843 four years after finishing — $45,483/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 1.5 years. Federal data pools 69 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,750 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ranks #15 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 93% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Florida | FL | $109,139 |
| 2 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $107,880 |
| 3 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $105,812 |
| 4 | California State University-Long Beach | CA | $103,125 |
| 5 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | $101,540 |
| 6 | San Diego State University | CA | $100,564 |
| 7 | Texas State University | TX | $100,352 |
| 8 | Florida International University | FL | $99,471 |
| 9 | Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | FL | $98,272 |
| 10 | University of Houston | TX | $97,201 |
| 11 | CUNY New York City College of Technology | NY | $96,378 |
| 12 | Georgia Southern University | GA | $95,844 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Construction Engineering Technology/Technician pay grow after graduation?
From $78,253 one year out to $93,843 four years out — a $15,590 climb, or 20% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Construction Engineering Technology/Technician each year?
About 2,750 bachelor's graduates a year across 69 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.