MBA in Construction Management
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To succeed in the construction industry, companies need more than just skillful builders. They need to keep track of timelines, budgets and supplies; foster positive relationships with clients; bring in various skilled experts like masons and ironworkers; and assign personnel to different sites when multiple projects are taking place simultaneously. Companies also need to ensure they’re building to code and in compliance with regulations by enlisting the help of building professionals such as inspectors, municipal building/planning officials, engineers, and architects.
Good construction management combined with deep construction industry knowledge is required to keep the interconnected, behind-the-scenes tasks working legally, smoothly, and in concert. Earning an MBA in construction management can help emerging leaders in construction or business earn the high-level industry knowledge, business expertise, and people management skills necessary to keep a construction business thriving.
Construction professionals looking to advance into management may find that the effort required does pay off. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there’s a significant difference in pay between entry-level construction positions and construction management and leadership positions. General construction positions pay a mean average annual wage of $40,080, while construction manager positions pay a mean wage of $99,510—148 percent more. Job openings in the construction management field are also supposed to grow by 11 percent in the decade preceding 2026, from 403,800 positions to 449,900.
Especially in the business industry, there is a recognition of the need to advance the skills of professionals without disrupting that person’s established life. As a result, many MBA programs in construction management are designed with scheduling flexibility at the center. Many MBA programs offer a range of options for the busy student, including programming offered during non-business hours, fully online programming where students set the location of their learning, and programs that require limited or no on-campus visits. In addition, students interested in earning their MBA in construction management from high quality institutions without having to physically move can find a wide variety of options available to them.
Continue reading for more information about online MBA programs in construction management and distinguished faculty.
Featured Online MBAs in Construction Management
SNHU’s online MBA program is one of the most affordable MBAs in the country and has a wealth of concentration options, from the most in-demand, such as finance and entrepreneurship, to industry- and sector-specific options in healthcare management and forensic science.
In the engineering management track, students learn about product development, lean improvement, experience design, technology strategy, and systems lifecycles. They take courses specifically designed for aspiring engineering managers in systems thinking, project leadership, and systems engineering. All students take foundational courses on the government impact on business, leading an organization, the business environment, and innovation and entrepreneurship, among others. Students can graduate in as little as 15 months by taking two courses per term.
| Location: Manchester, NH |
| Tuition: $627/credit-hour |
| Time to Completion: 15 months |
| Accreditation: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
Norwich University’s MBA with a concentration in construction management is a 36-credit-hour program offered fully online. Students learn information useful for the present and future of the industry, including budgeting and financing, resource management, communication, and scheduling. The business requirements in this program provide a larger framework for leadership and financial principles, including supply chain management, analysis, and organizational management.
Students in this program are placed in a learning cohort with 16 other students in order to help graduates build a strong professional network. Students also have online access to the school’s library.
| Location: Northfield, Vermont |
| Tuition:$792/credit, $9,504/semester |
| Program length: Two to three years |
| Accreditation: the school is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges; the MBA program is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs |
Students at Everglades can pursue an on-campus or online MBA with a concentration in construction management. Coursework includes business and leadership skills and supplementary construction courses. The 36-credit program emphasizes decision making skills, problem-solving, interpersonal communication, and technology. The program also includes practical skill building including estimating, understanding law, organization, finance, and leadership.
| Location:Boca Raton, Florida |
| Length:Eight months to one year |
| Tuition: $700/credit, $17,520/year (full-time) |
| Accreditation:Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools |
Lamar University’s 36-credit MBA in construction project management is offered fully online. The curriculum prepares students to integrate business strategy skills into their hands-on building experience so they can successfully coordinate projects at local, national, or international levels. Curriculum includes marketing, budgeting, and general business techniques. Advanced building concepts such as sustainable design, risk/safety management and legal practices are also included in the program. Core MBA classes are eight eight-week courses covering accounting and financial management.
| Location: Beaumont, Texas |
| Tuition:$13,092 without leveling courses, $17,988 with leveling courses (i.e., prerequisite courses for those lacking undergraduate business backgrounds) |
| Length: 14-16 months |
| Accreditation:Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business |
MTSU offers the country’s only online MBA concentration that provides a closer look at one area of construction: concrete. The concrete industry management executive MBA program is a combination of business fundamentals, in-depth information about how concrete businesses are structured, and knowledge of how the industry operates at national and international levels. The 36-credit curriculum covers research, development, safety, operations, logistics, certification, quality control, and sales. Most of the learning takes place online but students are required to visit the campus or other locations for three industry events, including the World of Concrete in Las Vegas.
| Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee |
| Length:15 months |
| Tuition: $39,300 for the program |
| Accreditation:Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
The MBA program through the Romain College of Business is available online or as a combination of online and on-campus courses. Students who are interested in advancing in the construction sector can consider the engineering management concentration—a field related to construction management—which includes a focus on the principles and practices of supply chain management, quality management, and project management. The 30-credit program also offers information about leadership opportunities in technology, manufacturing, research and development, and general business skills.
| Location:Evansville, Indiana |
| Tuition: $430/credit, $1,290/course, $12,900/program |
| Length:11 months to two years |
| Accreditation:Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business |
Professors to Know in Schools Offering Online MBAs in Construction Management
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Lynn Godkin, PhD, Lamar UniversityDr. Godkin is a professor of management at Lamar University, teaching a variety course in areas such as organizational behavior, human resource management, compensation, and general principles of management. Previously associated with the Small Business Development Center at the University of Houston, Dr. Godkin helped startup companies get off the ground. Notably, he earned his PhD in policy and strategy with minors in labor economics and human resource management from University of North Texas, and has published several scholarly papers in influential peer-reviewed journals.
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Scott Seipel, PhD, Middle Tennessee State UniversityDr. Seipel is an associate professor at MTSU, specializing in data analytics, data science, and business intelligence. He teaches courses in the general MBA program and the concrete industry management concentration within the MBA program. Dr. Seipel earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a PhD from the University of Texas, Arlington. Along with teaching, he offers personal consultations to companies and municipalities needing assistance with data analytics, including Bridgestone/Firestone and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Notably, he was the founder of a forensic animation company.
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Sanford Miller Jr., MA, Norwich UniversitySanford Miller brings extensive international industry, non-profit, and military experience to the MBA courses he teaches. Mr. Miller studied at Norwich, Harvard, and Columbia business schools, and received a master’s degree from Fairfield University. Previously, Mr. Miller was a partner at Building Blok, a software company in the construction industry. He also has experience in marketing strategy for large companies including GE Capital and CIGNA. Mr. Miller served as CEO and president for Allergy Control Products, and has been a consultant to various schools and companies.
Admission Requirements For Online MBA in Construction Management Programs
Each MBA program varies in what is required for admissions. General application requirements derived from the programs above include:
- Completed application and fee
- Personal statement of interest
- References/letters of recommendation
- GMAT/GRE scores (sometimes waived with significant professional or academic experience)
- Undergraduate degree in business or a related field
- Transcripts demonstrating a competitive GPA
- Relevant work experience
- TOEFL scores for foreign students
Accreditation and State Authorization
Companies seeking the best and brightest in business want to make sure that future employees graduated from programs offering proper and relevant information. Accredited schools have demonstrated their programming is up-to-date based on industry standards; the inclusion of vital subjects; and available learning modules and resources in relevant knowledge areas. Earning accreditation can involve regular campus visits by an accrediting organization, student and faculty surveys, graduation rate or career placement evaluations, industry involvement opportunities, and alumni support measures.
For MBA programs specifically, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) focuses on promoting and improving programs in business administration, management, human resources, and real estate for larger, research-based institutions. The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) is another accrediting body for business education, focusing on tangible learning outcomes and quality improvement.
Although not required to work in construction management, construction management graduates can pursue credentialing as a Certified Construction Manager (CCM) through the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA).
As a final note, prospective MBA students interested in enrolling in distance learning programs should ensure that each program is offered in the student’s state of residence. In order to legally offer programming across state lines, programs must adhere to each individual state’s regulations for education, or adhere to universal standards as outlined by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). Students can find out if a program is offered in their state by checking the program’s website or speaking to an admissions officer.