Best College Reviews ranks construction management as the fifth best college major for the future.
If you’ve been in construction these past few years, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to you. You’ve seen the boom in construction with your own eyes.
But do the numbers back up your perceptions? Do the numbers support this trend in construction management degrees?
Let’s take a look. And we’re confident that by the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll be as convinced as us.
1. Why Is Construction Management A Popular Degree? Construction Spending Is On The Rise
If you were in the construction business in 2008, you remember that rock in your stomach feeling. As the worth of all real estate assets plummeted to bottom levels, a whole industry collapsed.
Over the next few years, construction spending wound to a near stand still. And the future of the construction industry looked bleak.
But in 2015 things began to turn around. In both the private a public sector, projects began to spring up all over the nation. And a collective shout went up.
We were back in business.
And by the end of 2015, construction spending had gone up by nearly a 1/4 trillion dollars. And from there it continued to rise steadily.
2. Construction Employment On The Rise
And it’s no wonder that with the increase in spending and new projects we would see jobs coming back in the construction industry.
While many people might have been out of a job in late 2008, they are getting hired by the thousands this year.
In February of 2017 alone, “the industry added 58,000 seasonally adjusted net new jobs”.
And within those statistics, you can see where the growth is happening.
In the heavy and civil engineering sector, the growth was an astounding 1.6%. This is a major boon for nonresidential construction as it means fewer interruptions in the winter months than usual.
This means that a need has arisen. Construction management is a must when companies are hiring so many workers. You need someone in charge of crews to accomplish the many projects cropping up this year.
3. Construction Management Unemployment Rate Well Below National Rate
Much ado has been made lately about the unemployment rate in America. And over the past few years, it has been going down.
Right now the unemployment rate is at 4.7%.
But when you are picking a degree, you want to get a better guarantee for a job than the average Joe.
And construction management is where you will find this.
The construction management unemployment rate is at almost half the national rate.
According to US News, the unemployment rate for construction management is down to 2.5%.
Compare that to other construction-oriented jobs like the electrician and you’ll find that this is an incredible rate. And electrician will find that their field is above the national average at 5.7% and the plumber at 5.9%.
4. Construction Management Is A More General Degree
The world is becoming more and more specialized and segmented. Even the construction industry sees jobs that need very specific specialization and training.
But if you’re interested in the wider array of construction and you don’t want to focus on engineering or carpentry or architecture, then this is the degree for you.
As a construction manager, you will have your hands on all parts of a project. From the red tape to the major details. You will be captain in charge of your very own construction ship.
You will deal with every level of employee on the site. You get to help negotiate the costs and you get to direct the laborers.
And if you’re afraid you won’t get a good education in the process, fear not. Construction management involves all manner of education. From mathematics to chemistry to social sciences.
To make construction more efficient, you need the science of timelines on your side.
To know how to organize workers, you need sociology and a basic understanding of psychology.
A lot more goes into construction management than most realize.
5. Construction Management Pays Well
If you’re just starting out as a construction worker, you make decent pay.
An entry level construction worker with little to no experience makes around 25 thousand dollars a year. And with experience, you might see that increase to 40 thousand a year over time.
But a construction manager makes almost double what an experienced construction laborer makes.
Entry level construction management salary is around $72 thousand. And with experience, they can get paid up to $108 thousand a year.
Private sector employment is the highest paying for construction managers. But even the government pays well in the construction business.
6. The Military Is Hiring Too
The military is always in need of construction specialists.
If you’re looking to travel overseas and work in your field, consider military employment.
The Navy looks for civil engineers with a background in contract management. You can get involved with public works projects, or be placed on a construction battalion.
You could become an engineer officer in the Army Corps of Engineers.
And if you are looking for a real challenge, the Marine Corps is often looking for a combat engineer. A combat engineer performs construction tasks. But they also get to demolish things under combat conditions.
You will build flotillas and engineer ways to move friendly troops.
You could also take the role of engineer assistant or engineer equipment chief if combat is not of interest.
7. Look For Advancement
If you’re a construction laborer and you have the desire to move up in the construction world, talk to your manager. Some companies will pay for their workers to get the necessary education to enter a management position.
If your employer sees that you have a potential for leadership, they may even approach you with the opportunity.
But don’t wait for the opportunity to approach you. Be bold. Boldness shows leadership. You never know what the answer might be.
Conclusion:
It’s no wonder that construction management is a hot career choice right now. And with the construction industry itself on the rise, we’ll see job opportunities skyrocket.
Are you looking into construction management as a career choice? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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