Skilled Trades Department • Niceville, FL • Campus • $104.01/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
Northwest Florida State College offers 1 construction management pathway: a College Credit Certificate (CCC) in Building Construction Specialist.
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | $1.9K in-state / $7.2K out-of-state | 1 year (3 semesters) | 18 |
Tuition estimates use Northwest Florida State College’s current per-credit tuition plus mandatory fees.
- Why choose it: NWFSC says completers are credited with two years of field experience toward a Florida contractor’s license. The same 18 credits serve as the classroom portion of NWFSC’s registered carpentry apprenticeship, with OSHA 10 and Home Builders Institute (HBI) certificates available along the way.
- Trade-off: This is a short trades certificate, not a management degree. Only two of six courses cover estimating and planning, NWFSC’s current catalog lists no construction A.S. to stack into, and three lab courses add $855 in fees.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | CCC in Building Construction Specialist |
| Format | Campus; four lecture/lab courses |
| Campus Location | Niceville and DeFuniak Springs (per NWFSC’s apprenticeship page) |
| Credit Hours | 18 |
| Internship | None required; optional registered apprenticeship (about 8,000 paid on-the-job hours) |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None stated |
| Software Taught | Not clearly stated |
| Industry Certifications | OSHA 10 and HBI certificates (opportunity to earn) |
| Licensing Relevance | Two years of field experience credit toward a Florida contractor’s license, per NWFSC |
| Transfer Pathway | No construction A.S. or bachelor’s agreement stated |
| Tuition | $104.01/credit in-state; $105.01 Alabama; $398.02 out-of-state |
CCC in Building Construction Specialist
The estimated tuition for the CCC in Building Construction Specialist at Northwest Florida State College is approximately $1,872 (18 credits at $104.01/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (3 semesters), following NWFSC’s suggested academic plan.
Official program: Building Construction Specialist.
Certificate Curriculum
NWFSC’s suggested plan spreads six 3-credit courses over three terms: 9 credits, then 3, then 6. There are no general education courses and no math course.
- Building systems (9): BCT 2761C Structural Systems in Construction, BCN 1520C Electrical Systems in Construction, BCN 1567C Plumbing and Gas Construction Practices
- Estimating (3): BCT 2770 Construction Estimating
- Management (3): BCN 2721 Construction Management Planning
- Drawings (3): BCN 1272C Blueprint Reading for Commercial Construction
The balance is technical. Four courses cover building systems and blueprints; one covers estimating and one covers planning, scheduling, and control. NWFSC’s own description says the certificate suits students who want to work with their hands, which fits a field supervisor or future contractor better than an office-based project engineer.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- ⚠️ NWFSC’s catalog lists seven required courses, including BCN 2560C Mechanical Systems in Construction, but states an 18-credit total. The suggested plan, the program page, and the apprenticeship page all show six courses and 18 credits. Confirm with the Skilled Trades Department whether BCN 2560C is still required; if it is, the certificate is 21 credits and about $2,184 in-state.
- The program page still says “only seven courses” above a six-course list.
- A learning outcome calls for “appropriate math skills,” but no math course is required.
- The program page cites the Southern Building Code. Florida replaced local codes with the Florida Building Code in 2002, so ask which code edition the courses teach.
Certificate Internship and Field Experience
- Required internship: none
- Apprenticeship option: NWFSC’s state-registered carpentry apprenticeship uses this certificate as its classroom component
- Apprenticeship hours: about 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, paid, with an employer and journeyman trainer
- Apprenticeship curriculum: HBI Building Trades
- Placement support: NWFSC says staff work with local contractors and runs a job placement program; no placement rate is published
- Named employer partners: not clearly stated
Students who enroll on their own finish with coursework but no supervised jobsite record. Apprentices are already employed, so they graduate with paid experience, the certificate, and the field-experience credit NWFSC describes. For a career changer without a construction job, landing an apprenticeship sponsor is the step that turns this certificate into a hiring advantage.
Certificate Admissions
Admission follows NWFSC’s open-access college process; apprentices also need a sponsoring employer.
- NWFSC application and $25 domestic application fee
- Program-specific prerequisites: not clearly stated
- Apprenticeship route: rolling admission, starts throughout the year
- Apprenticeship route: must be employed and trained by a journeyman in the trade
- Florida residency documentation is required for the in-state rate; Alabama residents qualify for a border-state rate
Tuition
NWFSC charges $104.01 per credit for Florida residents at the associate level for 2026-2027. That is $82.77 tuition plus $21.24 in mandatory state fees (financial aid, student activity, capital improvement, and technology). Alabama residents pay $105.01; other non-residents pay $398.02.
| Item | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per credit | $82.77 | $82.77 |
| Out-of-state tuition | None | $331.08 |
| Mandatory fees per credit | $21.24 | $66.94 |
| Total per credit | $104.01 | $398.02 |
| Program total (18 credits) | $1,872.18 | $7,164.36 |
Be aware that:
- BCT 2761C, BCN 1520C, and BCN 1567C each carry a $250 class supplies fee and a $35 technical lab fee in NWFSC’s 2026-2027 proposed fee schedule. That adds $855.
- All college credit students pay a $15 student access fee each term, or $45 over three terms.
- Alabama residents pay $1,890.18 for the 18 credits.
- The $25 application fee is not included.
- Any course taken online adds a $15 per credit distance learning fee.
- If BCN 2560C is required, add 3 credits ($312.03 in-state).
The realistic in-state cost is about $2,772 ($1,872.18 + $855 + $45). Lab fees add about 46% to tuition, so budget for them up front. Apprentices should ask their sponsor or NWFSC whether apprenticeship status changes what they pay. See NWFSC’s tuition page and fee schedule.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Choosing this certificate comes down to one question: do you want field credentials fast, or a degree that leads to management roles?
The case for it. NWFSC states the certificate earns two years of field-experience credit toward a Florida contractor’s license, in 18 credits. At about $2,800 in-state all-in, it is a low-cost way for Okaloosa and Walton county tradespeople to document experience while working.
The cost of choosing it. You give up general education, math, and any built-in path to a degree. NWFSC lists no construction A.S., so the credits do not stack into a CM degree here. Students who want a management career in the Panhandle should compare the University of West Florida B.S., which carries its own Florida licensing benefit and a required internship.
Who should look elsewhere. Students who want scheduling software, Revit or BIM, or a supervised internship will not find them listed. Recent high school graduates without a construction job will get more from a two-year degree with a required internship.
Accreditation and Credentials
Northwest Florida State College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. That makes students eligible for federal financial aid and lets other accredited schools evaluate credits for transfer. See NWFSC’s accreditation page.
NWFSC does not list programmatic accreditation from the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) or ABET’s Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission. ACCE accredits associate and bachelor’s degrees, not short certificates, so its absence is expected here.
The certificate’s main credential value is licensing related. NWFSC states completers receive two years of field-experience credit toward a Florida contractor’s license; confirm how that credit applies to your license category with the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board before relying on it. Students can also earn an OSHA 10 card and HBI certificates.