Construction Management: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Construction Management graduates earn a median $95,124 four years after finishing — $46,764/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 1.4 years. Federal data pools 92 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 2,909 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Construction Management ranks #13 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 94% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-East Bay | CA | $119,067 |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $118,331 |
| 3 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | MA | $111,195 |
| 4 | California State University-Chico | CA | $108,021 |
| 5 | Washington State University | WA | $107,531 |
| 6 | Drexel University | PA | $105,887 |
| 7 | Weber State University | UT | $105,738 |
| 8 | University of Alaska Anchorage | AK | $103,316 |
| 9 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $103,060 |
| 10 | Minnesota State University-Mankato | MN | $102,090 |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Stout | WI | $101,758 |
| 12 | Northern Arizona University | AZ | $99,015 |
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 Management pay grow after graduation?
From $82,591 one year out to $95,124 four years out — a $12,533 climb, or 15% 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 Management each year?
About 2,909 bachelor's graduates a year across 92 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.