Best colleges for Construction Management in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California State University - East Bay, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo and San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia are the top Construction Management programs in California by graduate earnings. California State University - East Bay leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $99,649, College Scorecard. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, California State University - East Bay and San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia award the most Construction Management degrees and certificates in California: 130, 91 and 43 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 California colleges offer Construction Management and award 392 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Construction Management program equips students with the essential skills and knowledge to oversee construction projects from inception to completion. This program is ideal for individuals interested in applying project management…
Top 3 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $99,649 | 91 | 48% | — | — |
| 2 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree | $92,785 | 130 | 86% | — | $18,955 |
| 3 | San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia Visalia Private for-profit · Associate degree | $53,053 | 43 | 36% | $30,518 | $20,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Construction Management degrees in California
Top 8 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public | 130 | $92,785 |
| 2 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public | 91 | $99,649 |
| 3 | San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia Visalia Private for-profit | 43 | $53,053* |
| 4 | Newschool of Architecture and Design San Diego Private for-profit | 40 | Not reported |
| 5 | San Joaquin Valley College - Ontario Ontario Private for-profit | 39 | $53,053* |
| 6 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 25 | Not reported |
| 7 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit | 23 | Not reported |
| 8 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 1 | Not reported |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021).
Top skills
What Construction Managers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Construction Management programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Construction Management degrees?+
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo (130 graduates a year), California State University - East Bay (91 graduates a year) and San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia (43 graduates a year) award the most Construction Management degrees and certificates in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 California colleges offer Construction Management.
What is the best college for Construction Management in California?+
By graduate earnings, California State University - East Bay leads among Construction Management programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $99,649, College Scorecard. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo and San Joaquin Valley College - Visalia follow. By degrees awarded, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is the largest, with 130 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Construction Management program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California State University - East Bay tops the list at $99,649. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Construction Managers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Construction Managers in California is $141,670 (median $133,160), across about 34,750 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Construction Management program?+
The Construction Management program equips students with the essential skills and knowledge to oversee construction projects from inception to completion. This program is ideal for individuals interested in applying project management…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Construction Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +8.7% growth with around 46,800 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card