Best colleges for Building/Construction Finishing
Ranked by graduate earnings
The top colleges for Building/Construction Finishing by graduate earnings are Rowan University ($85,630), The University of Texas at San Antonio ($71,202) and Ivy Tech Community College ($51,303), based on median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, among programs with at least 20 graduates a year, excluding online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools and those with a graduation rate under 30%.
- Rowan University (Glassboro, NJ): $85,630, 64 graduates a year
- The University of Texas at San Antonio (San Antonio, TX): $71,202, 92 graduates a year
- Ivy Tech Community College (Indianapolis, IN): $51,303, 229 graduates a year
- Flint Hills Technical College (Emporia, KS): $47,694, 53 graduates a year
- Cabrillo College (Aptos, CA): $47,566, 32 graduates a year
Compare 312 U.S. colleges offering Building/Construction Finishing by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 49 states.
Building/Construction Finishing programs report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $31,601 (College Scorecard, 2019), and map to CIP 46.04 and the Construction and Building Inspectors occupation (BLS SOC).
About Building/Construction Finishing programs
The Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection program equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary for various roles in the construction trades. This program is ideal for individuals interested in overseeing the finishing processes of buildings and ensuring compliance with safety and legal standards throughout construction projects.
Students will gain core skills in reading comprehension, critical thinking, and mathematics, alongside knowledge in building and construction, public safety, and design. Coursework may cover topics such as building/property maintenance, drywall installation, and construction inspection.
Top 25 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, predominant credential. 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 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJ Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,630 | 64 | 67% | — | $30,070 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,202 | 92 | 53% | — | $21,700 |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN Public · Associate degree | $51,303 | 229 | 40% | — | $7,000 |
| 4 | Flint Hills Technical College Emporia, KS Public · Associate degree | $47,694 | 53 | 68% | — | — |
| 5 | Cabrillo College Aptos, CA Public · Certificate | $47,566 | 32 | 38% | — | — |
| 6 | Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA Public · Associate degree | $44,225 | 76 | 53% | — | $17,500 |
| 7 | Orleans Technical College Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $39,735 | 27 | 90% | $19,184 | $7,521 |
| 8 | Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI Public · Certificate | $37,575 | 24 | 50% | — | — |
| 9 | Northeast Community College Norfolk, NE Public · Associate degree | $37,514 | 21 | 56% | — | — |
| 10 | Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Lancaster, PA Public · Associate degree | $36,873 | 28 | 71% | — | — |
| 11 | New Castle School of Trades New Castle, PA Private for-profit · Associate degree | $31,601 | 32 | 76% | $7,553 | — |
| 12 | CET-San Diego San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $28,485 | 40 | 87% | $21,055 | $6,425 |
| 13 | CET-El Centro El Centro, CA Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $28,485 | 23 | 93% | $19,396 | $6,425 |
| 14 | CET-Watsonville Watsonville, CA Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $28,485 | 34 | 83% | $1,680 | $6,425 |
| 15 | CET-Oxnard Oxnard, CA Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $28,485 | 27 | 42% | $10,977 | $6,425 |
| 16 | CET-Santa Maria Santa Maria, CA Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $28,485 | 35 | 77% | $2,174 | $6,425 |
| 17 | Motoring Technical Training Institute Seekonk, MA Private for-profit · Certificate | $26,989 | 38 | 89% | $18,778 | $9,239 |
| 18 | Remington College - Dallas Campus Dallas, TX Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $26,736 | 27 | — | $29,146 | $9,500 |
| 19 | Remington College - Cleveland Campus Cleveland, OH Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $26,736 | 40 | 55% | $23,910 | $9,500 |
| 20 | Remington College - Fort Worth Campus North Richland Hills, TX Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $26,736 | 29 | 45% | $24,625 | $9,500 |
| 21 | South Florida Institute of Technology Miami, FL Private for-profit · Certificate | $26,701 | 59 | 83% | $29,731 | — |
| 22 | Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education Lexington, KY Private not-for-profit · Certificate | $25,158 | 20 | 63% | $19,115 | $11,510 |
| 23 | North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MN Public · Certificate | $66,902 | 20 | 22% | — | — |
| 24 | Portland Community College Portland, OR Public · Associate degree | $63,103 | 33 | 18% | — | — |
| 25 | Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester, MN Public · Certificate | $61,196 | 28 | 29% | — | — |
Specializations within Building/Construction Finishing
13 of the 13 6-digit CIP codes under CIP 46.04 have U.S. graduates (NCES CIP 2020, IPEDS 2024–25). Each links to its own page, ranked by graduates.
- Building/CIP 46.0401
Property Maintenance 2,461 graduates / yr97 institutions31 states - Building Construction Technology/CIP 46.0415
Technician 2,137 graduates / yr127 institutions35 states - Building/CIP 46.0412
Construction Site Management/ Manager 1,748 graduates / yr73 institutions22 states - Building/CIP 46.0499
Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection 638 graduates / yr36 institutions12 states - Building/CIP 46.0403
Home/ Construction Inspection/ Inspector 334 graduates / yr31 institutions12 states - Drywall Installation/CIP 46.0404
Drywaller partial data254 graduates / yr3 institutions2 states - Concrete Finishing/CIP 46.0402
Concrete Finisher partial data79 graduates / yr6 institutions5 states - RooferCIP 46.0410partial data42 graduates / yr3 institutions2 states
- InsulatorCIP 46.0414limited data35 graduates / yr1 institutions1 states
- Carpet, Floor, and Tile WorkerCIP 46.0413limited data30 graduates / yr2 institutions2 states
- Painting/CIP 46.0408
Painter and Wall Coverer partial data29 graduates / yr4 institutions4 states - GlazierCIP 46.0406limited data11 graduates / yr1 institutions1 states
- Metal Building Assembly/CIP 46.0411
Assembler limited data5 graduates / yr1 institutions1 states
Offered across 49 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 47-4011, Construction and Building Inspectors, and its national outlook.
Graduates of this program can pursue careers in various specializations, including construction inspection, drywall installation, and concrete finishing. The job outlook shows little or no change, with approximately 14,800 annual openings and a median wage of $72,120, typically requiring a high school diploma or equivalent.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Building/Construction Finishing
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 46.04.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 46.04 (Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection) maps to 22 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-3013 | Facilities Managers |
| 17-3022 | Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians |
| 37-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers |
| 47-1011 | First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers |
| 47-2041 | Carpet Installers |
| 47-2042 | Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles |
| 47-2043 | Floor Sanders and Finishers |
| 47-2044 | Tile and Stone Setters |
| 47-2051 | Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers |
| 47-2053 | Terrazzo Workers and Finishers |
| 47-2081 | Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers |
| 47-2121 | Glaziers |
| 47-2131 | Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall |
| 47-2132 | Insulation Workers, Mechanical |
| 47-2141 | Painters, Construction and Maintenance |
| 47-2142 | Paperhangers |
| 47-2181 | Roofers |
| 47-2221 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers |
| 47-2231 | Solar Photovoltaic Installers |
| 47-4011 | Construction and Building Inspectorsprimary |
| 49-9071 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General |
| 49-9095 | Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Building/Construction Finishing programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Approve building plans that meet required specifications.
- Review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations.
- Issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition, or occupancy.
- Inspect bridges, dams, highways, buildings, wiring, plumbing, electrical circuits, sewers, heating systems, or foundations during and after construction for structural quality, general safety, or conformance to specifications and codes.
- Monitor installation of plumbing, wiring, equipment, or appliances to ensure that installation is performed properly and is in compliance with applicable regulations.
- Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications.
Common questions
What is the focus of the Building/Construction Finishing program?+
The program focuses on the finishing processes in construction, including management and inspection.
What skills will I learn in this program?+
You will learn skills such as critical thinking, mathematics, and knowledge of building regulations.
What types of careers can I pursue after graduation?+
Graduates can work in various roles like construction inspector, drywall installer, or concrete finisher.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook shows little or no change, with around 14,800 annual openings and a median wage of $72,120.
How much do Building/Construction Finishing graduates earn?+
Building/Construction Finishing graduates report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $31,601, College Scorecard (2019); the Construction and Building Inspectors occupation pays about $77,730 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Building/Construction Finishing?+
Building/Construction Finishing maps to CIP 46.04 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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