Construction Trades, General: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 7 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$39,108 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$39,108Median year-4 earnings
$13,487Average institution net-price context
$9,322Median federal debt
Four useful answers about Construction Trades, General
How much do Construction Trades, General undergraduate certificate or diploma graduates earn?
The national median is $39,108 four years after completion across reportable undergraduate certificate or diploma programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $9,322. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Construction Trades, General?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $37,884 to $40,154 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Construction Trades, General?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 1 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$39,108Median reported earnings · year 4
$34,321Average reported earnings · year 5
$9,322Median federal debt
27thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
370IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
6With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 4 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.
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$37,884National median$39,10875th percentile$40,154
6 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.
$44,703Observed year-4 earnings$36,146
Perry Technical Institute$20,047 price · $60,617 earningsGreat Oaks Career Campuses$12,037 price · $44,703 earningsSummit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center$17,649 price · $40,154 earningsApex Technical School$14,826 price · $38,062 earningsOnondaga Cortland Madison BOCES$19,002 price · $37,884 earningsNorth American Trade Schools$8,597 price · $36,146 earnings
$8,597Annual college-wide average net price$19,002
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.
7 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Perry Technical Institute$60,6172Great Oaks Career Campuses$44,7033Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization Center$40,1544Apex Technical School$38,0625Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES$37,8846North American Trade Schools$36,1467Lake Land CollegeNot availableObserved 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.
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920 median wage812,210 U.S. jobs · SOC 47-1011+5.0% projected employment, 2025–35 · 67k annual openingsTypical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent$53,280–$128,260 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. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Perry Technical InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Yakima, WA | $60,617 | $7,892 | WithheldBaseline needed | $20,047 |
| 2 | Great Oaks Career CampusesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Cincinnati, OH | $44,703 | $9,500 | WithheldBaseline needed | $12,037 |
| 3 | Summit Academy Opportunities Industrialization CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Minneapolis, MN | $40,154 | $9,322 | WithheldBaseline needed | $17,649 |
| 4 | Apex Technical SchoolUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Long Island City, NY | $38,062 | $9,500 | WithheldBaseline needed | $14,826 |
| 5 | Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCESUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Liverpool, NY | $37,884 | $8,233 | WithheldBaseline needed | $19,002 |
| 6 | North American Trade SchoolsUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Baltimore, MD | $36,146 | $10,392 | WithheldBaseline needed | $8,597 |
| 7 | Lake Land CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Mattoon, IL | Not available | $5,500 | WithheldBaseline needed | $2,254 |
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.