Industrial Technologies • Cedar Rapids, IA • Campus • $229/Credit (In-State) + $50/Term Technology Fee
Kirkwood Community College offers 3 construction management pathways:
- A.A.S. in Construction Management
- ACE (Architecture, Construction and Engineering) Diploma
- Construction Estimator Certificate
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.A.S. | $15.4K in-state / $20.4K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters + summer) | 66 |
| ACE Diploma | $7.7K in-state / $10.2K out-of-state | 1 year (2 semesters + summer) | 33 |
| Estimator Certificate | $2.9K in-state / $3.8K out-of-state | 3 terms | 12 |
Tuition estimates use Kirkwood Community College’s current per-credit tuition plus the $50 per-semester technology fee.
- Why choose it: Kirkwood’s A.A.S. puts a full-time, paid summer internship between a hands-on first year and a second year of preconstruction, estimating, contract documentation, and closeout, and the University of Northern Iowa publishes a guide that transfers 58 of its credits into UNI’s construction management B.S.
- Trade-off: The program starts only in fall, some classes are required in the evening, and the internship carries just 2 credits even though it’s full-time work.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | A.A.S.; ACE Diploma; Construction Estimator Certificate |
| Format | Campus; some required evening classes |
| Campus Location | Cedar Rapids (Jones Hall, Industrial Technologies) |
| Credit Hours | 12 (certificate); 33 (diploma); 66 (A.A.S.) |
| Internship | Required in the A.A.S. and diploma: CON-932, full-time and paid, summer (2 credits) |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None stated |
| Industry Certifications | OSHA 10 Construction and Adult First Aid/CPR; optional CAPM exam prep (MGT-155) |
| Transfer Pathway | UNI B.S. Construction Management guide (58 credits transfer) |
| Start Term | Fall only |
| Tuition | $229/credit Iowa resident, $306 nonresident, plus $50/semester technology fee |
A.A.S. in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the A.A.S. in Construction Management at Kirkwood Community College is approximately $15,364 (66 credits at $229/credit plus five $50 technology fees). The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters plus a summer).
The Construction Management A.A.S. moves from hands-on lab work and drafting in the first year to management, scheduling, estimating, and legal issues in the second.
A.A.S. Curriculum
- First-year construction: CON-101 Architectural Plans and Specs (3), CON-108 Construction Safety (1), CON-190 Construction Lab (3), CON-410 Architectural Modeling (3), CON-313 Structures and Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Systems (3), and CON-331 Construction Materials Science or EGT-460 (3)
- Estimating: CON-322 Estimating for Construction and Architecture (3) and CON-324 Advanced Construction Estimating (3)
- Second-year management: CON-257 Pre-Construction Services (3), CON-328 Construction Documentation (3), CON-400 Construction Services, Project Close-Out and Commissioning (3), CON-316 Sustainable Construction Science (3), CON-330 Construction Capstone (3), MGT-130 Principles of Supervision (3), and MGT-155 Integrated Project Management or MGT-101 (3)
- Work-based learning: WBL-148 WBL Industrial Technology (2), BUS-290 Employment Search/Workplace Success (1), and CON-932 Internship (2)
- General education: a math course (Industrial Math II, Statistics, or approved math), a science course (Environmental Geology or Environmental Science), two communications courses, a humanities or history/culture course, and a social science course
The second year carries most of the management load: preconstruction cost estimating and constructability reviews, contract and regulatory issues in construction documents, closeout and commissioning, and a capstone in which students present a full project binder covering estimating, scheduling, control, safety, and risk. Choosing MGT-155 over MGT-101 adds preparation for the Project Management Institute’s CAPM exam.
More curriculum details are available in Kirkwood’s catalog.
You Should Know
- Kirkwood advises transfer students to take MAT-156 Statistics and ENG-105 and ENG-106; UNI’s guide also requires Industrial Math II as the route to trigonometry credit.
- Kirkwood’s 2026 program information sheet lists sample classes, including Construction Law and Ethics, Surveying and Site Layout, and Residential Estimating, that don’t appear in the catalog’s current course plan.
- Students who have completed carpentry courses should meet with an advisor, since some requirements may change.
A.A.S. Internship and Field Experience
- CON-932 Internship: full-time, paid work in an approved construction position in the summer after the first year
- Includes instructor site visits and employer evaluations, with a focus on planning and production monitoring
- Prerequisite: all first-year courses or instructor permission
- BUS-290 Employment Search/Workplace Success, taken in the first spring, covers the job search before the placement
A paid, full-time summer placement gives students a real job before their management year, and employer evaluations become part of the grade. The course is listed at 2 credits in the A.A.S. but runs from 1 to 6 credits in the catalog.
A.A.S. Admissions
- Open admission as a community college
- Fall entry only
- Students buy their own safety equipment
ACE Diploma
The estimated tuition for the ACE Diploma at Kirkwood Community College is approximately $7,707 (33 credits at $229/credit plus three $50 technology fees). The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (2 semesters plus a summer).
The ACE (Architecture, Construction and Engineering) Diploma is the A.A.S. first year plus the summer internship, offered as an alternative or precursor to the degree.
Diploma Curriculum
- Fall: CON-101, CON-108, CON-190, CON-410, MAT-716 Industrial Math II (or approved math), and WBL-148 (15 credits)
- Spring: CON-313, CON-322, CON-331 or EGT-460, PHS-175 or ENV-115, BUS-290, and a communications elective (16 credits)
- Summer: CON-932 Internship (2 credits)
The diploma includes the first estimating course and the paid internship but none of the second-year management courses, so it suits students aiming for entry-level jobs in construction or architecture firms.
You Should Know
- Kirkwood lists the diploma as eligible for state and federal financial aid.
Diploma Internship and Field Experience
The same paid summer internship (CON-932) is required.
Diploma Admissions
- Same open admission and fall entry as the A.A.S.
Construction Estimator Certificate
The estimated tuition for the Construction Estimator Certificate at Kirkwood Community College is approximately $2,898 (12 credits at $229/credit plus three $50 technology fees). The program can generally be completed in about 3 terms.
The Construction Estimator Certificate prepares students for entry-level estimating work.
Estimator Certificate Curriculum
- Fall: CON-101 Architectural Plans and Specs (3)
- Spring: CON-322 Estimating for Construction and Architecture (3)
- Second fall: CON-257 Pre-Construction Services (3) and CON-324 Advanced Construction Estimating (3)
The four courses run from plan reading to commercial estimates in spreadsheets and estimating software, and all count toward the A.A.S. Because they follow the degree’s fall-spring-fall sequence, the 12 credits take three terms.
You Should Know
- Kirkwood also offers a 12-credit, one-term Construction Fundamentals Certificate with OSHA 10, focused on plan reading, lab skills, and safety rather than management.
Estimator Certificate Internship and Field Experience
No internship is required.
Estimator Certificate Admissions
- Same open admission and fall entry as the A.A.S.
Tuition
Kirkwood Community College charges Iowa residents $229 per credit hour and nonresidents $306, plus a $50 technology fee each semester. The tuition page doesn’t label these rates with an academic year.
| Item | Iowa Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Per credit | $229 | $306 |
| A.A.S. (66 credits, 5 terms) | $15,364 | $20,446 |
| ACE Diploma (33 credits, 3 terms) | $7,707 | $10,248 |
| Estimator Certificate (12 credits, 3 terms) | $2,898 | $3,822 |
See Kirkwood’s tuition and costs page.
Be aware that:
- Course-specific fees are listed in Kirkwood’s student portal, and students buy their own safety equipment.
- Kirkwood says eligible construction management students may have half their tuition covered by the Kibbie Grant.
- International students pay $400 per credit.
Iowa residents pay about $15.4K for the A.A.S. before the Kibbie Grant, below Iowa Western Community College’s $17,182 degree, which is 5 credits longer. Nonresidents pay about $5,000 more, a wider residency gap than at Iowa Western.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for Cedar Rapids and Iowa City-area students who want a two-year construction management degree with a paid internship and a published route into a bachelor’s.
Transfer to UNI: The University of Northern Iowa’s 2026-27 guide transfers 26 Kirkwood credits directly into its construction management major and 32 more as general education and electives, leaving 62 credits at UNI.
Project management focus: Preconstruction, documentation, closeout, a capstone binder, and an optional CAPM prep course give the second year more project management depth than estimating alone. Hands-on work takes place in Kirkwood’s Iowa Sustainable Village projects.
Accreditation and Credentials
Kirkwood Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
The construction programs carry no programmatic accreditation that Kirkwood states.
A.A.S. graduates earn OSHA 10 Construction and Adult First Aid with CPR certifications, and Kirkwood’s program sheet lists LEED Green Associate and Construction Technologist and Construction Supervisor certifications as optional. Iowa doesn’t license general contractors by exam; contractors earning at least $2,000 a year register with the state under the Iowa contractor registration program.