Trails and Trades Division • Bentonville, AR • Campus • $153/Credit (In-District, incl. fees)
NorthWest Arkansas Community College offers 3 construction management pathways:
- Certificate of Proficiency in Construction Technology
- Technical Certificate in Construction Technology
- A.A.S. Construction Technology
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| CP | $3.1K in-district / $4.5K out-of-state | 1 year (2 semesters) | 18 |
| Technical Certificate | $6.3K in-district / $9.3K out-of-state | 1.5 years (3 semesters) | 38 |
| A.A.S. | $9.9K in-district / $14.6K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 60 |
Tuition estimates use NWACC’s per-credit tuition plus mandatory per-credit and per-semester fees.
- Why choose it: Licensed HVAC, electrical, and plumbing apprentices can swap the A.A.S.’s 12-credit construction core for their trade sequence, turning trade training into a construction degree that still requires scheduling, codes, BIM, and an internship.
- Trade-off: NWACC’s A.A.S. stops at a Survey of Technical Math ceiling with no transfer agreement named, so students aiming for a bachelor’s at John Brown University or another Arkansas program should plan coursework early.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | CP (18 credits), Technical Certificate (38 credits), A.A.S. (60 credits) |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Integrated Design Lab, Bentonville campus |
| Credit Hours | 18 to 60 |
| Internship | A.A.S.: required 1-credit internship, planned for second semester |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None listed (not on ACCE associate list) |
| Software Taught | AutoCAD, BIM; AutoCAD Civil 3D elective |
| Trades Option | HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or trails courses may replace the construction core |
| Math | Survey of Technical Math |
| Tuition | $153 in-district, $215 out-of-district, $232 out-of-state per credit incl. fees |
Certificate of Proficiency in Construction Technology
The estimated tuition for the Certificate of Proficiency at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is approximately $3,094 in-district (18 credits at $153/credit plus semester fees) or $4,516 out-of-state.
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (2 semesters), derived from 18 credits at 9 credits per semester.
The Certificate of Proficiency packs NWACC’s core construction management courses into 18 credits that all count toward the A.A.S.
CP Curriculum
- Math (3 credits): Survey of Technical Math, or Technical Mathematics with a 1-credit lab.
- Construction (5 courses, 15 credits): Materials of Construction or Introduction to Craft Skills, Construction Methods I and II, Estimating, and Project Scheduling.
Two of five construction courses are management courses (estimating and scheduling), and the rest are methods and materials. There is no drafting or internship in the certificate.
You Should Know
- Credits are derived from course numbers on NWACC’s program page; the certificate’s catalog page was not reviewed.
CP Internship and Field Experience
- Requirement: none.
Field experience comes only by moving on to the A.A.S.
CP Admissions
NWACC is open admission.
- Placement: students may need developmental reading, writing, or math courses based on placement; those credits do not count toward the certificate.
Technical Certificate in Construction Technology
The estimated tuition for the Technical Certificate at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is approximately $6,324 in-district (38 credits at $153/credit plus semester fees) or $9,326 out-of-state.
The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years (3 semesters), derived from 38 credits at about 13 credits per semester.
The Technical Certificate adds drafting, business management, and the rest of the construction core to the CP, leaving the A.A.S. about 22 credits away.
Technical Certificate Curriculum
- General education (6 credits): English Composition I and Survey of Technical Math or higher.
- Business (3 credits): Business Organization and Management.
- Drafting (8 credits): Engineering Graphics and AutoCAD I.
- Construction (7 courses, 21 credits): Materials of Construction or Craft Skills, Construction Methods I and II, Estimating, Surveying, Project Scheduling, and Construction Codes and Regulations.
The Technical Certificate holds every A.A.S. construction core course, so a completer keeps all of it toward the degree.
You Should Know
- The 38-credit total is derived from course numbers on NWACC’s program page; the catalog page for the certificate was not reviewed.
- The program page lists Engineering Graphics as a 4-credit course (DRFT 1234), while the A.A.S. catalog lists a 3-credit version (DRFT 1233).
Technical Certificate Internship and Field Experience
- Requirement: none.
Students who want the internship credit and BIM course need to continue to the A.A.S.
Technical Certificate Admissions
Open admission, with the same placement requirements as the A.A.S.
A.A.S. Construction Technology
The estimated tuition for the A.A.S. in Construction Technology at NorthWest Arkansas Community College is approximately $9,860 in-district (60 credits at $153/credit plus semester fees) or $14,600 out-of-state.
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters), following NWACC’s four-semester plan.
The A.A.S. in Construction Technology was designed by local industry advisors to prepare students to plan, schedule, estimate, and supervise commercial building projects in Northwest Arkansas.
A.A.S. Curriculum
The degree has 18 general education credits, a 30-credit required core, and a 12-credit construction core that can be swapped for a trade.
- Management (4 courses, 12 credits): Project Scheduling, Construction Codes and Regulations, Supervision or Business Organization and Management, and Estimating (in the construction core).
- Drafting and design (4 courses, 14 credits): Engineering Graphics, AutoCAD I, Building Information Modeling I, and one of Commercial Construction Drawing, Residential Construction Drawing, or AutoCAD Civil 3D.
- Construction methods (5 courses, 15 credits): Introduction to Craft Skills, Materials of Construction (or 3D Design), Construction Methods I and II, and Surveying.
- Internship (1 credit): Construction Internship.
- Trades alternative: instead of Methods I and II, Surveying, and Estimating, students may take 12 credits of HVAC, electrical, plumbing, or trails construction courses.
- General education (18 credits): English Composition I and II, Survey of Technical Math, Public Speaking, American history, and American National Government.
The standard path is drafting-heavy for a construction degree, with as many drafting and BIM credits (14) as management credits (12). The trades alternative removes Estimating and Surveying, so a trades-route graduate keeps scheduling, codes, and supervision but loses cost estimating.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog notes the trades alternative is for “apprentice program hours upon completion and licensure,” but does not explain how apprenticeship hours convert to credit.
- The four-semester plan leaves out the history and government courses, adds an Introduction to Computer Information course not in the requirements, and lists a fourth semester of 12 credits whose courses add to 9.
- NWACC’s program page lists slightly different requirements (a computer course and one social science elective in place of history and government); the catalog governs.
A.A.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Requirement: CST 2441 Construction Internship, 1 credit, placed in the second semester of the plan.
- Hours, pay, and placement: not clearly stated.
- Facilities: classes are based in the Integrated Design Lab, opened in 2019 on the Bentonville campus with a 3,500-square-foot outdoor fabrication space.
- Scholarships: construction scholarships require a 2.7 GPA and 12-credit enrollment.
Placing the internship in the first year gives students early site exposure, but at 1 credit it is a short experience compared with the 3-credit internship at Arkansas State. NWACC says the program aims to train locally and place locally, though it names no partner employers.
A.A.S. Admissions
NWACC is open admission; placement testing decides whether developmental courses come first.
- Placement courses: reading, writing, and math foundations may be required and do not count toward the 60 credits.
- Apprentices: the trades alternative is aimed at students who have completed a licensed apprenticeship.
- Transfer: no articulation agreement with a bachelor’s program is stated.
Tuition
NWACC charges $110 per credit in-district, $172 out-of-district and in contiguous counties, and $189 out-of-state, plus $43 per credit in mandatory fees. Each fall and spring semester adds $170 in flat fees. See the Treasurer’s Office fee schedule.
| Charge | In-District | Out-of-District | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (per credit) | $110.00 | $172.00 | $189.00 |
| Mandatory fees (per credit) | $43.00 | $43.00 | $43.00 |
| Total per credit | $153.00 | $215.00 | $232.00 |
| Flat fees (per semester) | $170 | $170 | $170 |
| CP, 18 credits, 2 semesters (derived) | $3,094 | $4,210 | $4,516 |
| Technical Certificate, 38 credits, 3 semesters (derived) | $6,324 | $8,680 | $9,326 |
| A.A.S., 60 credits, 4 semesters (derived) | $9,860 | $13,580 | $14,600 |
Be aware that:
- Mandatory fees include learning support ($15), technology ($15), library ($3), health and wellness ($4), public safety ($4), and facility maintenance ($2) per credit.
- Semester flat fees are registration ($15), infrastructure ($60), student activity ($15), and athletics ($80).
- A $100 Construction Technology Lab fee applies to lab courses; which courses carry it is not clearly stated.
- Trails courses in the trades alternative carry differential tuition ($146 in-district) and a $150 course fee.
- The fee page does not show an academic year label, and the Board of Trustees sets rates annually.
- Most Arkansas residents outside NWACC’s district pay the $215 out-of-district rate, about $13,580 for the A.A.S.
Even at the out-of-district rate, the full A.A.S. costs less than a year of tuition at John Brown University. For a Bentonville-area student, the $9,860 in-district A.A.S. is a low-cost way to test the field before committing to a bachelor’s.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for Northwest Arkansas residents who want a short, affordable path into construction supervision, and for licensed trades workers moving toward management.
Starting with a certificate. The 18-credit CP gives estimating and scheduling quickly; the 38-credit Technical Certificate adds drafting, surveying, and codes. Both stack fully into the A.A.S.
Finishing the A.A.S. directly. The degree adds BIM, a construction drawing course, supervision, and the internship. It is the version most aligned with field supervisor and estimator roles NWACC lists.
Using the trades route. Licensed HVAC, electrical, and plumbing workers can count their trade sequence toward the degree. They give up the estimating and surveying courses, which matters for anyone aiming at estimator jobs.
Planning for a bachelor’s. No transfer agreement is named, and the math stops at Survey of Technical Math. Students heading to JBU, Arkansas State, or UA Little Rock should confirm which courses transfer before enrolling.
Accreditation and Credentials
NorthWest Arkansas Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
The construction technology programs do not appear on ACCE’s associate degree list (Rev. 2025.03.20), which has no Arkansas entries, and NWACC names no other programmatic accreditation. Most two-year construction programs are not ACCE-accredited.
The A.A.S. trades route recognizes licensed apprenticeship completion, but NWACC does not state that its credentials count toward Arkansas contractor licensing or include certifications such as OSHA cards.