Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering • Chicago, IL • Campus / Online • $1,925/Credit (Graduate)
Illinois Institute of Technology offers 3 construction management pathways:
- B.S. in Construction Management and Architectural Technology
- M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management
- Certificate in Construction Management
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $220.2K | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120-121 |
| M.S. | $57.8K | 1.5 years (3 semesters) | 30 |
| Certificate | $23.1K | 1 to 2 semesters | 12 |
Tuition estimates use Illinois Tech’s 2026-27 full-time undergraduate rate plus mandatory fees, and its graduate per-credit rate.
- Why choose it: Illinois Tech’s B.S. pairs two architecture studios with scheduling, estimating, contracts, and BIM courses for students who want to manage building projects without becoming licensed engineers or architects, and it feeds directly into an M.S. offered on campus or online.
- Trade-off: At about $220K before aid, the B.S. costs more than Bradley University’s $174,872, and neither the B.S. nor the M.S. is ACCE-accredited.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S., M.S., graduate certificate |
| Format | B.S. on campus; M.S. on campus, online, or hybrid; certificate format not clearly stated |
| Campus Location | Chicago (Mies Campus) |
| Credit Hours | 120-121 (B.S.); 30 (M.S.); 12 (certificate) |
| Internship | Not required |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None for these programs |
| Software Taught | AutoCAD (CAE 101); BIM (CAE 474) |
| Math | B.S.: Calculus I, or Geometry for Architects plus Intro to Calculus or Statistics |
| Transfer Pathway | B.S. accepts community college construction management transfers |
| Tuition | $26,599/semester undergraduate (12-18 credits); $1,925/credit graduate (2026-27) |
B.S. in Construction Management and Architectural Technology
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Management and Architectural Technology at Illinois Institute of Technology is approximately $220,192 (eight semesters at $27,524 including fees). The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters).
The B.S. in Construction Management and Architectural Technology is run jointly by Illinois Tech’s engineering and architecture schools. The catalog says it prepares students for AEC roles that are “explicitly not engineers nor architects.”
B.S. Curriculum
- Architecture (30 credits): ARCH 107 and 108 Design Communication, ARCH 113 and 114 Architecture Studio I and II (6 each), ARCH 230 Structural Analysis, ARCH 486 Structures II: Building Design, ARCH 413 Architectural Practice, and CAE 468 Architectural Design
- Construction management (27 credits): CAE 470 Construction Methods and Cost Estimating, CAE 471 Construction Planning and Scheduling, CAE 472 Construction Site Operation, CAE 473 Construction Contract Administration, CAE 474 Introduction to BIM, INTM 407 Construction Technology, and CAE 495 Capstone Senior Design
- Drawing and surveying: CAE 100 Engineering Drawing, CAE 101 AutoCAD, and CAE 105 Surveying
- Business (12 credits): BUS 210 Accounting Principles, ECON 211 Introduction to Economics, and two courses from options including EMGT 470 Project Management, BUS 341 Business Ethical and Legal Environment, and INTM 441 Supply Chain Management
- Math and physics: MATH 151 Calculus I, or MATH 119 Geometry for Architects with MATH 122 Introduction to Calculus or STAT 225 Statistics (the recommended path); PHYS 200 or PHYS 123
- Other: 12 credits of major electives, 21 credits of humanities and social sciences, and 6 credits of Interprofessional Projects (IPRO)
The degree splits its technical core between architecture (30 credits, including 12 in design studio) and construction management (27 credits). The 400-level CAE construction courses are the same ones Illinois Tech lists for its graduate certificate and M.S. electives, which is what makes the B.S.-to-M.S. path direct.
More curriculum details are available in Illinois Tech’s catalog.
You Should Know
- Students can take CAE 110 and 111 Professional Practice instead of ARCH 100, but then need an extra free elective to reach 120 credits.
- Illinois Tech says the program prepares students for CMAA, AACE, LEED, and Autodesk certifications, but none is embedded in the degree.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- No internship or co-op is required in the catalog.
- The CAE 495 capstone and the two IPRO team projects are the degree’s required applied work.
- Illinois Tech names Kiewit Building Group, dbHMS, Stantec, and the Illinois Facilities Fund among internship employers for its construction students.
Students graduate with studio and team-project experience but no guaranteed field time.
B.S. Admissions
- Standard Illinois Tech undergraduate admission
- Transfer students, including those from community college construction management associate degrees, can start in fall or spring
M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management
The estimated tuition for the M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management at Illinois Institute of Technology is approximately $57,750 (30 credits at $1,925/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years (3 semesters), a duration derived from a full-time load of 9 to 12 credits.
The M.S. in Construction Engineering and Management is offered on campus in Chicago, online, or hybrid, and is STEM-designated.
M.S. Curriculum
- Required (18 credits): CAE 569 Construction Methods, Cost Estimating, and Project Budgeting, CAE 570 Legal Issues in Civil Engineering, CAE 571 Lean Construction and Control, CAE 572 Construction Business Operations and Cost Accounting, CAE 574 Economic Decision Analysis, and CAE 577 Construction Equipment Management
- Electives (12 credits): options include CAE 573 Construction Management with BIM, CAE 576 Drones for Construction Projects, CAE 578 Construction Claims Management, CAE 579 Real Estate Fundamentals, and CAE 587 Commissioning
- Thesis option: 6 credits of CAE 591 research with a written thesis and oral defense
The required core centers on cost, law, lean methods, and business operations rather than design. Up to 12 credits of 400-level courses can count, so students without construction coursework can fill gaps with CAE 471 scheduling or CAE 473 contract administration.
You Should Know
- The M.S. has a coursework-only option, so a thesis isn’t required.
- An Illinois Tech article says the online option is for applicants with three or more years of U.S. or Canadian design or construction experience; the program page doesn’t list that condition.
M.S. Internship and Field Experience
No internship or practicum is required.
M.S. Admissions
Applicants typically hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering or architecture; career changers can qualify by completing the Certificate in Construction Management first.
- No GPA or GRE minimum is listed on the program page
Certificate in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the Certificate in Construction Management at Illinois Institute of Technology is approximately $23,100 (12 credits at $1,925/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 1 to 2 semesters.
The Certificate in Construction Management is a graduate certificate for working professionals.
Certificate Curriculum
- Any four 3-credit courses from a list of 15, including CAE 470 Estimating, CAE 471 Scheduling, CAE 473 Contract Administration, CAE 571 Lean Construction, and CAE 578 Claims Management
The certificate draws from the same course list as the M.S., so it works as a trial run or as the admission route into the master’s for students without an engineering or architecture degree.
Certificate Internship and Field Experience
No internship is required.
Certificate Admissions
- Admission requirements and delivery format are not clearly stated in the catalog
Tuition
For 2026-27, Illinois Tech charges full-time undergraduates $26,599 per semester for 12 to 18 credits, plus a $125 activity fee and an $800 student service fee. Graduate tuition is $1,925 per credit hour.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate tuition per semester (12-18 credits) | $26,599 |
| Activity and student service fees per semester (full-time) | $925 |
| Graduate tuition per credit | $1,925 |
| B.S. (8 semesters with fees) | $220,192 |
| M.S. (30 credits) | $57,750 |
| Certificate (12 credits) | $23,100 |
See Illinois Tech’s undergraduate and graduate tuition pages.
Be aware that:
- The undergraduate table lists rates for students admitted through spring 2026; Illinois Tech had not posted a separate row for fall 2026 entrants.
- Graduate estimates exclude the $925 per semester in full-time fees ($375 or more part-time), course fees, and the $2,510 annual health insurance charge for students without a waiver.
- Illinois Tech charges the same rate regardless of state residency.
The B.S. sticker price is about $220K, so families should weigh Illinois Tech’s aid offer against options such as Illinois State University, where the in-state B.S. costs about $65K. For the M.S., working professionals studying online pay the same $1,925 per credit as campus students; the University of Illinois Chicago’s in-person M.S. costs about $34.9K for Illinois residents.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for students in the Chicago area who want construction management combined with architectural design, or engineers and architects who want a construction master’s they can finish online.
Design focus: The B.S. requires two architecture studios and building-structures courses, more design than Bradley University’s or Illinois State’s construction degrees, which have no studio courses.
Graduate pathway: The certificate, M.S., and B.S. share CAE construction courses, so students can stack credentials. Bachelor’s students who want an ACCE-accredited degree should compare Bradley, Illinois State, and SIUE.
Accreditation and Credentials
Illinois Institute of Technology is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
Neither the B.S. nor the M.S. is on ACCE’s accredited, candidate, or applicant lists in its 2025 annual report, and Illinois Tech doesn’t claim programmatic accreditation for them.
Illinois Tech says the B.S. prepares students for CMAA, AACE, LEED, and Autodesk certifications. It doesn’t state that its degrees count toward any contractor license; Illinois has no statewide general contractor license, though Chicago licenses general contractors.