Viterbi School of Engineering, Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering • Los Angeles, CA • Online and Campus • $2,859/Credit (incl. fees)
USC offers 2 construction management pathways:
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCM | $91.5K (all students) | 2 years (4 semesters) | 32 |
| M.S. Civil Engineering | $80.5K (all students) | 2 years (4 semesters) | 28 |
Tuition estimates use USC Viterbi’s 2026-27 cost of attendance worksheets: $2,742 per unit plus mandatory fees; USC charges the same rate to residents, nonresidents, and online students.
- Why choose it: USC’s Master of Construction Management draws electives from architecture, real estate development, negotiation, and new ventures, gives special attention to the constructor’s role in real estate development, and can be completed online at the same tuition.
- Trade-off: At about $91,500, the MCM costs more than four times a California State University construction management master’s, with no in-state discount.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | Master of Construction Management (MCM); M.S. in Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering) |
| Format | On campus or online through DEN@Viterbi; same degree and tuition |
| Campus Location | Los Angeles, CA |
| Credit Hours | 32 (MCM); 28 (M.S.) |
| Internship | Not required; MCM requires a 0-unit practicum (ENGR 595), contents not described |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None stated for either master’s degree |
| Software Taught | BIM electives (CE 470) and advanced AEC technologies core (CE 573); specific software not named |
| Industry Certifications | None embedded |
| GRE | Not required for 2027 applications |
| Tuition | $2,742 per unit plus $922 per semester in mandatory fees (2026-27) |
Master of Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the Master of Construction Management at USC is approximately $91,487 (32 credits at $2,858.97/credit, including mandatory fees).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters).
The Master of Construction Management is a 32-unit, multidisciplinary degree that trains professionals in the technical and non-technical sides of construction management, with special attention to the constructor’s function in real estate development, per USC. USC lists four semesters as the normal time to degree.
MCM Curriculum
- Core (4 courses, 16 units): CE 501 Architecture, Engineering and Construction Practices, CE 502 Construction Accounting, Finance and Strategy, CE 573 Advanced Technologies in AEC Practices, and CE 578 Engineering Design: Industrialized and Modular Construction.
- Construction electives (9 options): Construction Contracts and Law, Construction Engineering, Construction Estimating, Construction Methods and Equipment, Sustainable Design and Construction, Building Information Modeling, Project Controls, Construction Means and Methods, and Sustainability, Well-Being and Innovation in the Built Environment.
- Real estate and finance electives (6 options): real estate finance and development, real estate analysis and computer modeling, development feasibility studies, and three RED real estate development courses.
- Architecture electives (3 options): Building Systems: Materials and Construction, Advanced Structures, and Advanced Environmental Systems.
- Business electives (3 options): Introduction to New Ventures, Cases in New Venture Management, and Negotiation and Deal-Making.
- Practicum (0 units): ENGR 595 Practicum.
Students choose 16 elective units, so the MCM can lean toward construction operations, real estate development, or entrepreneurship. Estimating, contracts, and project controls are electives rather than core, so students without contractor experience should plan to take them.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog titles CE 578 Engineering Design: Industrialized and Modular Construction, while the department page lists it as Technology-Enabled AEC Projects.
- At least two-thirds of degree units must be at the 500 level or above, and the last 4 units must be completed at USC.
- A 3.0 GPA is required, and up to 4 units of directed research or internship courses may count with adviser approval.
- A thesis option may be requested after the first semester but is not guaranteed.
- USC expects MCM students to take part in the program’s speaker series and field trips.
MCM Internship and Field Experience
- Required: No internship; the 0-unit ENGR 595 Practicum is required, but its content is not described.
- Optional credit: up to 4 units of directed research or internship courses.
- Program activities: speaker series and field trips.
- Hours, pay, and employer partners: Not clearly stated.
Field experience is not built into the MCM, so career changers should use the internship credit or the practicum to get site time. Online students may find the expected field trips harder to join.
MCM Admissions
USC reviews applications holistically through Viterbi graduate admission.
- Degree: a bachelor’s degree, typically in engineering or a related field, with training in capital management and statistics.
- Prerequisite: undergraduate coursework in engineering economy or business finance.
- Materials: transcripts, resume, personal statement, and two letters of recommendation (highly recommended); no GRE for 2027.
- Deadlines: October 15 for spring; December 15 (scholarship consideration) or January 15 for fall.
M.S. in Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering)
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering) at USC is approximately $80,519 (28 credits at $2,875.68/credit, including mandatory fees).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters).
The M.S. in Civil Engineering (Construction Engineering) is a 28-unit engineering master’s with a construction core, offered on campus or online. USC’s cost worksheet assumes 4 units in the first semester and 8 in each of the next three.
M.S. Curriculum
- Core (3 courses, 12 units): CE 501 Construction Practices, CE 502 Construction Business, and CE 569 Project Controls.
- Electives (16 units): chosen with an adviser; listed options include Construction Methods and Equipment, Sustainable Design and Construction, Building Information Modeling, Construction Means and Methods, Energy and the Environment, and Introduction to Programming Systems Design.
The M.S. puts project controls in the core and leaves more room for engineering electives, while the MCM adds technology and modular construction to the core and opens electives to real estate and business.
You Should Know
- At least two-thirds of degree coursework must be at the 500 level or above.
- USC reported a $78,000 average salary from a 2025 survey based on one response, too few to rely on.
M.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: No.
- Employers of recent graduates: BCI Construction, Caltrans, Webcor Construction, and Worley, per USC.
The M.S. assumes an engineering background, so most students bring technical preparation rather than field experience.
M.S. Admissions
Admission is holistic, and most applicants hold engineering or closely related degrees.
- Degree: a bachelor’s degree; applicants from unrelated fields may be considered with strong proficiency in specific coursework.
- Materials: transcripts, resume, personal statement, and two letters of recommendation (highly recommended); no GRE for 2027.
- Deadlines: September 15 for spring; December 15 (scholarship consideration) or January 15 for fall.
Tuition
For 2026-27, USC Viterbi charges $2,742 per unit for both master’s programs, plus $922 per semester in mandatory fees ($977 in a student’s first fall, including a $55 orientation fee). All students pay the same rate.
| Item (2026-27) | MCM (32 units) | M.S. (28 units) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $87,744 | $76,776 |
| Mandatory fees (4 semesters) | $3,743 | $3,743 |
| Total | $91,487 | $80,519 |
- MCM estimate: 32 × $2,742 = $87,744, plus $3,743 in fees, for $91,487, per USC’s worksheet.
- M.S. estimate: 28 × $2,742 = $76,776, plus $3,743 in fees, for $80,519, per USC’s worksheet.
Be aware that:
- USC’s worksheets apply 2026-27 rates to all four semesters; second-year tuition will likely be higher.
- Health insurance (about $3,500 per year at 2025-26 rates) is required unless waived and is not included.
- Housing, meals, books, and course materials are not included.
At about $91,500, USC’s MCM costs more than four times the in-state price of CSUN’s or CSU Long Beach’s M.S. in Construction Management, though out-of-state students pay the same at USC. See USC Viterbi’s 2026-27 cost of attendance.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
USC’s construction master’s degrees are priced at a premium, so the case for them rests on what the CSU options do not offer.
Real estate and development: The MCM is built around the constructor’s role in development, with six real estate electives, which suits students aiming at developer-builder or owner’s representative roles.
Online at the same price: Both degrees run online through DEN@Viterbi with the same degree and tuition, an option none of the CSU master’s programs profiled here advertise.
When the premium is harder to justify: Students who want a core in estimating, scheduling, and contracts, or who would pay in-state CSU rates, can get those at CSUN or Cal State East Bay for about $20,000.
Accreditation and Credentials
The University of Southern California is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, which supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
USC does not list programmatic accreditation for the MCM or the M.S., and ACCE’s master’s program list could not be checked. USC also offers a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Construction Engineering and Management option; its B.S. in Civil Engineering is accredited by the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission. That option is not profiled here.
Neither master’s program embeds an industry certification.