Construction Engineering Technology/Technician: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 9 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · Strong payoff
+$165,208 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
At this price, the reported earnings produce a wide margin over the comparison salary.
4.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
+145%Modeled 10-year ROI
$72,927Observed earnings · year 4
$94,635Maximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
The price benchmark is $82,604 per year below this threshold.
Includes direct price and earnings forgone while studying. Assumes $45,000 in alternative annual earnings and no wage growth. How we calculate itFour useful answers about Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
How much do Construction Engineering Technology/Technician associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $72,927 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $12,563. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Construction Engineering Technology/Technician?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $59,247 to $82,170 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Construction Engineering Technology/Technician?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$189,270
$12,000Current college-wide context+$165,270
$20,000Annual price+$149,270
$40,000Annual price+$109,270
$60,000Annual price+$69,270
$80,000Annual price+$29,270
$100,000Annual price−$10,730
Observed national outcomes
$72,927Median reported earnings · year 4
$73,751Average reported earnings · year 5
$12,563Median federal debt
88thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
9With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,302
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,927
- Federal debt
- $12,563
- Reporting programs
- 9
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $92,524
- Federal debt
- $24,745
- Reporting programs
- 45
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $101,174
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$59,247National median$72,92775th percentile$82,170
9 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$83,536Observed year-4 earnings$52,808
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology$10,999 price · $100,052 earningsFerris State University$8,624 price · $83,536 earningsUniversity of Akron Main Campus$13,946 price · $82,170 earningsColumbus State Community College$8,400 price · $81,546 earningsDallas College$3,214 price · $72,927 earningsLake Area Technical College$15,979 price · $72,225 earningsTexas State Technical College$13,508 price · $59,247 earningsHudson Valley Community College$8,501 price · $58,190 earningsPennsylvania College of Technology$25,110 price · $52,808 earnings
$3,214Annual college-wide average net price$15,979
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
9 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology$100,0522Ferris State University$83,5363University of Akron Main Campus$82,1704Columbus State Community College$81,5465Dallas College$72,9276Lake Area Technical College$72,2257Texas State Technical College$59,2478Hudson Valley Community College$58,1909Pennsylvania College of Technology$52,808Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Construction Managers$114,990 median wage380,360 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-9021+9.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 49.7k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$69,690–$189,440 10th–90th percentileCost Estimators$78,740 median wage224,220 U.S. jobs · SOC 13-1051-3.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 17.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,530–$130,820 10th–90th percentileCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950 median wage68,520 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3022+3.2% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$44,220–$98,980 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario, not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma State University Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Okmulgee, OK | $100,052 | $12,000 | +392% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Ferris State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Big Rapids, MI | $83,536 | $13,000 | +259% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | University of Akron Main CampusAssociate's Degree | Akron, OH | $82,170 | $24,709 | +215% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Columbus State Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Columbus, OH | $81,546 | Not available | +242% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Dallas CollegeAssociate's Degree | Dallas, TX | $72,927 | Not available | +190% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | Lake Area Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Watertown, SD | $72,225 | $12,000 | +123% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Texas State Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Waco, TX | $59,247 | $12,125 | +22% | Positive payoff |
| 8 | Hudson Valley Community CollegeAssociate's Degree | Troy, NY | $58,190 | Not available | +23% | Positive payoff |
| 9 | Pennsylvania College of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | Williamsport, PA | $52,808 | $16,095 | -44% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.