Skilled Trades • Glendale, AZ • Campus • $400/Credit (incl. fees, quarter credits)
Arizona Automotive Institute (AAI) offers one construction management program: an Associate of Applied Science in Construction & Trades Management, completed alongside a welding, electrical, or HVAC trade program.
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.A.S. | $36.8K | 1.5 years (7 terms) | 92 quarter |
Tuition estimate uses AAI’s published program total: tuition plus program and registration fees, one rate for all students.
- Why choose it: AAI’s A.A.S. is built on top of a trade diploma, so a student leaves with welding, electrical, or HVAC lab training plus project management, spreadsheet, and economics courses in one 18-month, all-in-priced program.
- Trade-off: At about $36,840, the A.A.S. costs several times a Maricopa management A.A.S., carries national (ACCSC) rather than regional accreditation, and names no university transfer agreement.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | A.A.S. in Construction & Trades Management |
| Format | Campus (AAI says in-person only; state training listings say hybrid) |
| Campus Location | 6829 N. 46th Ave., Glendale, AZ |
| Credit Hours | 92 quarter credits (about 61 semester-credit equivalent, derived) |
| Trade Prerequisite | Must be enrolled in or have completed Combination Welding, Electrical, or HVAC |
| Internship | None stated for this program |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None; not on ACCE associate list (Rev. 2025.03.20) |
| Industry Certifications | NCCER credentials earned in the trade program; project management badges per Ancora |
| Transfer Pathway | Not clearly stated; no named university agreement |
| Tuition | $36,840 total ($31,280 tuition + $5,520 program fee + $40 registration) |
A.A.S. in Construction & Trades Management
The estimated tuition for the Associate of Applied Science in Construction & Trades Management at Arizona Automotive Institute is approximately $36,840 (92 quarter credits at $400/credit, plus a $40 registration fee).
The program can generally be completed in about 18 months (7 terms, about 1,320 clock hours).
A.A.S. Curriculum
The degree has three layers: a full trade diploma, a short management block, and general education. AAI does not publish per-course credits outside its catalog, so the split below comes from course lists in Arizona’s state training-provider records.
- Trade core (track): Combination Welding (56.5 credits), Electrical (50), or HVAC & Basic Refrigeration (50), per AAI’s campus page
- Management: Project Management I and II (NCCER/Pearson Project Management text)
- Management: Economics for Trades
- Business technology: Practical Computer Applications for Trades; Trades Spreadsheet Skills
- Math: College Mathematics (ALEKS basic college mathematics materials)
- General education: English Composition I, Interpersonal Communications, Critical Thinking
- General education: Introduction to Psychology, Environmental Science
Subtracting the trade diploma leaves about 35.5 to 42 quarter credits (derived) for the 11 management, technology, and general education courses. Of those 11, five are trade-management or office-technology courses. Estimating, scheduling, and crew supervision appear only as topics inside the two Project Management courses; no standalone estimating, scheduling, codes, contracts, or safety-management course is named. Most of the degree’s technical depth comes from the trade itself, not from construction management coursework.
You Should Know
- The math requirement is College Mathematics built on basic-math materials, below College Algebra. Students aiming for a CM bachelor’s will likely need College Algebra and trigonometry later.
- AAI’s campus page still lists this program as a “60 Credit Diploma Program, 13 Months,” and its programs page as a 60-credit A.A.S. The current program page and blog say 92 credits and 18 months.
- Arizona’s training-provider listing adds a Plumbing track, but AAI’s own program page lists only welding, electrical, and HVAC.
- AAI’s career list for this degree names trade roles (HVAC, instructor, journeyman electrician), not management titles.
A.A.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required internship: none stated for this program
- Credits, hours, and paid status: not clearly stated
- Placement support: AAI cites career services and Phoenix-area employer connections; no named employers
- Hands-on work: lab training comes through the trade diploma
Without a required internship, job-site management experience is left to the student. The trade labs build craft skill, which supports a path from crew member to foreman. They do not substitute for time on a project team handling submittals, schedules, or budgets.
A.A.S. Admissions
Admission hinges on the trade program: students must enroll in welding, electrical, or HVAC at the same time or have already completed one.
- High school diploma, GED, or equivalent
- Required background check through a third-party provider; results can deny admission or program enrollment
- Rolling starts, about every five weeks, per AAI
- Day and evening class times listed in Arizona’s training-provider records
- No prior construction experience required, per AAI
You Should Know
- Graduates of an AAI trade diploma can stack into the A.A.S. AAI says its published total does not reflect the credit reduction for a completed diploma. Ask admissions for the remaining cost before enrolling.
Tuition
AAI charges $340 per quarter credit in tuition plus a $60-per-credit program fee (derived from published totals), or $400 per credit before the one-time $40 registration fee. The same price applies to Arizona residents and nonresidents.
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $31,280 |
| Program fee | $5,520 |
| Registration fee | $40 |
| Total | $36,840 |
AAI says textbooks, tools, equipment, supplies, and uniforms are included in tuition.
Be aware that:
- The $36,840 total comes from an Arizona training-provider listing updated March 13, 2026, and an AAI blog post from May 2026. AAI notes figures may change.
- An earlier track listing (February 2025) showed $35,920 ($30,360 tuition), so tuition rose about 3% in roughly a year.
- Whether a student starting from scratch pays the trade diploma separately is not clearly stated. The welding-track listing says its total excludes the reduction for diploma credits already earned.
- AAI’s net price calculator shows only its welding program, not this degree.
For a student who needs both trade training and a degree, the all-in price covers tools and materials that community colleges bill separately. For someone who only wants the management credential, the comparison is harder. Maricopa’s management A.A.S. runs about $97 per semester credit in-county, while AAI’s degree works out to about $600 per semester-credit equivalent (derived), roughly six times as much. Confirm the current figure on AAI’s financial aid page or with admissions.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for West Valley students who want a trade and a management credential in one program and value a single price over the lowest price.
New to the trades: A recent graduate or career changer gets a full welding, electrical, or HVAC diploma, NCCER-recognized trade credentials, and an associate degree in about 18 months, with rolling starts. That is the program’s clearest fit.
Already a journeyman or diploma holder: An AAI trade graduate can stack into the degree with a credit reduction. A tradesperson trained elsewhere gets no stated credit for prior experience and would pay for coursework they may not need. Maricopa Community Colleges offers a management-focused A.A.S. at a much lower rate.
Planning a bachelor’s degree: This is the weakest fit. ACCSC credits do not transfer automatically to Arizona’s public universities, the math stops below College Algebra, and AAI names no transfer agreement. Students set on Northern Arizona University or Arizona State University should start with Maricopa’s transfer specialization instead.
Accreditation and Credentials
Arizona Automotive Institute is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) as a branch campus of Miller-Motte College in Chattanooga, Tennessee. ACCSC is a national accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, so AAI students can use federal financial aid. National accreditation can limit credit transfer: regionally accredited universities, including Arizona’s public universities, decide case by case whether to accept ACCSC credits. AAI is also approved by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education.
The program holds no programmatic accreditation. AAI does not appear on the ACCE associate-degree list (Rev. 2025.03.20), which has no Arizona entries; most two-year programs are not ACCE-accredited. AAI’s welding, electrical, and HVAC programs are recognized by NCCER, and Arizona’s training-provider records say NCCER credentials are earned in the trade programs. Parent company Ancora says students may also earn NCCER project management badges. AAI does not guarantee eligibility for any third-party certification and states no Arizona contractor-license relevance for the degree.