Construction Trades & Building Inspection programs: earnings, debt and schools by state
568 certificate and associate-degree programs at 392 U.S. schools teach construction finishing trades, managers and inspectors. Federal data shows what past graduates earned and borrowed. CIP 46.04 covers building and construction finishing, management and inspection, such as drywall, painting, tile, masonry-adjacent finishing and construction management.
Best-paying construction trades programs (one year after completion)
Ranked by the median earnings of completers working and not enrolled, among programs with at least 10 earners reported. High earnings can reflect local labor markets and who enrolls, so compare debt and completion too.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flint Hills Technical College | Emporia, KS | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 10 | $69,813 | – | – |
| Ivy Tech Community College | Indianapolis, IN | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 63 | $64,909 | $9,339 | $106 |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte, NC | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 23 | $62,526 | – | – |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester, MN | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate | 18 | $62,251 | – | – |
| North Hennepin Community College | Brooklyn Park, MN | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate | 21 | $62,096 | – | – |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate | 86 | $61,071 | $11,000 | $125 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport, PA | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 57 | $58,650 | $14,885 | $169 |
| Rochester Community and Technical College | Rochester, MN | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 10 | $57,759 | – | – |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, NC | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 28 | $54,023 | – | – |
| Gwinnett Technical College | Lawrenceville, GA | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 16 | $50,756 | – | – |
| Santa Fe College | Gainesville, FL | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 13 | $49,866 | – | – |
| Mitchell Technical College | Mitchell, SD | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 26 | $47,606 | – | – |
| ETI Technical College of Niles | Niles, OH | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate | 3 | $46,772 | – | – |
| Lake Area Technical College | Watertown, SD | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate degree | 20 | $43,218 | – | – |
| Tennessee College of Applied Technology Nashville | Nashville, TN | Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Certificate | 36 | $42,038 | – | – |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
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Construction Trades programs by state
| State | Programs | Schools | Median 1-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7 | 4 | not reported | – |
| Alaska | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Arizona | 18 | 12 | not reported | – |
| Arkansas | 8 | 8 | not reported | – |
| California | 99 | 58 | $35,524 | $9,500 |
| Colorado | 10 | 7 | not reported | – |
| Florida | 25 | 23 | $49,866 | $9,500 |
| Georgia | 24 | 14 | $50,756 | – |
| Hawaii | 2 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Idaho | 3 | 3 | not reported | – |
| Illinois | 20 | 14 | not reported | $10,217 |
| Indiana | 5 | 3 | $64,909 | $9,339 |
| Kansas | 7 | 4 | $69,813 | – |
| Kentucky | 3 | 2 | $24,255 | $11,600 |
| Louisiana | 4 | 4 | $36,806 | $9,500 |
| Maine | 10 | 5 | not reported | – |
| Maryland | 14 | 8 | $33,172 | $9,887 |
| Massachusetts | 6 | 4 | $40,703 | $7,604 |
| Michigan | 17 | 12 | $37,183 | $12,315 |
| Minnesota | 16 | 11 | $62,096 | – |
| Mississippi | 4 | 3 | not reported | – |
| Missouri | 5 | 4 | not reported | – |
| Montana | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
| Nebraska | 11 | 6 | not reported | – |
| Nevada | 6 | 3 | not reported | – |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| New Jersey | 5 | 4 | $33,278 | $5,500 |
| New Mexico | 18 | 11 | not reported | – |
| New York | 13 | 11 | not reported | – |
| North Carolina | 41 | 23 | $61,071 | $14,750 |
| North Dakota | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Ohio | 15 | 11 | $41,789 | $9,500 |
| Oklahoma | 12 | 12 | not reported | – |
| Oregon | 7 | 4 | not reported | – |
| Pennsylvania | 23 | 18 | $40,250 | $11,656 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 1 | not reported | $15,833 |
| South Carolina | 10 | 9 | not reported | – |
| South Dakota | 3 | 3 | $45,412 | – |
| Tennessee | 27 | 23 | $36,806 | $9,500 |
| Texas | 18 | 11 | $36,806 | $9,500 |
| Utah | 9 | 5 | not reported | – |
| Virginia | 3 | 3 | $37,388 | $9,500 |
| Washington | 15 | 11 | not reported | – |
| West Virginia | 1 | 1 | not reported | – |
| Wisconsin | 12 | 10 | $41,278 | – |
| Wyoming | 3 | 2 | not reported | – |
States with fewer than three programs have no detail page.
What to know before you enroll
Some trades and building-inspector roles require state licensing or ICC certification. Verify the licensing board in your state before enrolling.
Questions to ask every school
- Which trades are covered and which are only introduced?
- Does the program prepare for a state licensing exam?
- Are there job-site partnerships?
For national pay and job outlook, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile: Construction and Extraction Occupations.
Frequently asked questions
How much do construction trades graduates earn?
Among 44 construction trades programs that report earnings, the median first-year figure is $36,994 for certificate programs ($36,806) and $52,390 for associate programs. These are medians of past graduates and vary by state and employer.
How much debt do construction trades students take on?
The median federal loan debt among borrowers across programs reporting it is $9,500. Many students in short programs borrow nothing; the figure only covers borrowers.
Is the data current?
It comes from the College Scorecard release dated October 15, 2026. The Department updates it annually and each figure describes graduates from earlier years.
Can I trust a school's own job-placement claims?
Treat them as a starting point. Ask for the placement rate definition, the number of graduates counted and the time window, then compare with the federal earnings above.
Related programs
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.