Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering • Chicago, IL • Campus • $11,631/Semester (In-State, Full-Time, incl. fees)
The University of Illinois Chicago offers one construction management program: the M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management, a 36-credit graduate degree for engineering graduates, taught on UIC’s east campus.
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S. | $34.9K in-state / $56.8K out-of-state | 1.5 to 2 years (3 to 4 semesters) | 36 |
Tuition estimates use UIC’s fall 2026 and spring 2027 full-time graduate tuition, engineering differential, fees, and assessments for three semesters.
- Why choose it: UIC’s M.S. lets students build electives from engineering, urban planning, public administration, and business courses around a five-course construction core, with thesis, project, or coursework-only options, at public-university tuition in Chicago.
- Trade-off: Admission expects an engineering, math, or physics bachelor’s degree, and all classes are in person, so it doesn’t serve career changers or remote working professionals.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management |
| Format | Campus (in-person classes; many evening courses) |
| Campus Location | UIC east campus, Chicago |
| Credit Hours | 36 |
| Internship | Not required |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None stated |
| Software Taught | Access to AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Autodesk BIM tools, ArcGIS, HEC-RAS |
| Admission | Bachelor’s in engineering, mathematics, or physics |
| Options | Thesis, project, or coursework only |
| Tuition | $6,748 in-state / $14,063 out-of-state per semester, plus $2,474 engineering differential (2026-27) |
M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management at the University of Illinois Chicago is approximately $34,893 in-state and $56,838 out-of-state (three full-time semesters at $11,631 or $18,946). The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 to 2 years (3 to 4 semesters).
The M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management launched in fall 2019 in UIC’s Department of Civil, Materials, and Environmental Engineering. UIC describes it as “the only one of its kind at a public university in the greater Chicago area.”
M.S. Curriculum
- Required core (20 credits): CME 485 Construction Engineering and Management, CME 486 Construction Equipment and Design Methods, CME 585 Construction Engineering Project Controls, CME 586 Construction Regulations and Organizational Management, and CME 587 Construction Estimating and Scheduling (4 credits each)
- Elective group 1: 13 CME 400-level civil and materials engineering courses
- Elective group 2: CME graduate courses plus urban planning (UPP) and public administration (PA) courses
- Elective group 3: industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, energy, information and decision sciences, management, and communication courses
- Coursework-only option: 4 electives (16 credits) with at least one from each group
- Project option: 3 electives, one from each group, plus CME 596 Independent Study
- Thesis option: 1 elective plus 12 credits of CME 598 Master’s Thesis Research
The five required courses cover project controls, estimating and scheduling, regulations and organizational management, and equipment. Because the elective groups reach into urban planning, public administration, and management, students can tilt the degree toward public infrastructure or company management.
More curriculum details are available on the program requirements page.
You Should Know
- Every course is 4 credits, so the 36 credits come from nine courses (or seven courses plus the thesis).
- Students need a 3.0 GPA to graduate, and D grades don’t count toward the 36 credits.
- Only 4 credits of graduate coursework can transfer in from another school.
M.S. Internship and Field Experience
No internship or practicum is required. UIC says students build project portfolios, hear from Chicago-area construction companies and agencies, and can join a UIC chapter of the Construction Management Association of America.
M.S. Admissions
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in an engineering field (civil, mechanical, aerospace, or industrial, for example), or in mathematics or physics.
- UIC asks for a “satisfactory” undergraduate GPA; its international admissions sheet lists 3.0
- Students can study full-time or part-time, and the department schedules evening courses “as often as possible”
Tuition
UIC charges full-time graduate students (12 or more credits) $6,748 per semester in-state and $14,063 out-of-state for fall 2026 and spring 2027. Engineering master’s students add a $2,474 per semester differential, plus $1,773 in fees and $636 in assessments.
| Item (per semester, 12+ credits) | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Base tuition | $6,748 | $14,063 |
| Engineering M.S. differential | $2,474 | $2,474 |
| Fees and assessments | $2,409 | $2,409 |
| Total per semester | $11,631 | $18,946 |
| M.S. (3 semesters) | $34,893 | $56,838 |
See UIC’s graduate tuition and fees page.
Be aware that:
- The estimate assumes three full-time semesters of 12 credits; the department says most students finish its M.S. programs in about two years, which would add a fourth semester.
- Part-time students pay lower semester charges (6 to 11 credits: $4,499 in-state, $9,375 out-of-state, plus a $1,649 differential), but spread over more semesters.
- Campus Care health insurance, U-Pass transit, and international student fees can add to the total.
Illinois residents who finish in three semesters pay about $35K. That is less than Illinois Institute of Technology’s $57,750 M.S. tuition, though Illinois Tech also offers its M.S. online.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for engineering graduates in the Chicago area who want an in-person construction management master’s at public-university tuition.
Flexible electives: The three elective groups let students pair construction courses with urban planning, public administration, or information and decision sciences.
Format limits: All classes meet on campus. Working professionals outside commuting range, or applicants without an engineering, math, or physics degree, should look at Illinois Tech’s online M.S. and its certificate entry route.
Accreditation and Credentials
The University of Illinois Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
The M.S. carries no programmatic accreditation, and ACCE’s master’s list includes no Illinois programs.
UIC encourages students to pursue LEED, PMP, CCM, and CIPM certifications, but none is built into the degree.