Building Construction Program • Pasadena, CA • Campus • $49/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
Pasadena City College offers 2 construction management pathways:
- Building Construction Project Management, A.S.
- Building Construction Project Management, Certificate of Achievement
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.S. | $2.9K in-state / $29K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 60 (18 in the major) |
| Certificate | $918 in-state / $8.7K out-of-state | 1 year (2 semesters) | 18 |
Tuition estimates use the $46 per unit California community college enrollment fee plus Pasadena City College’s health, student activity, transportation, and representation fees; out-of-state adds $409 per unit in nonresident tuition and a $26 per unit capital outlay fee.
- Why choose it: Pasadena City College’s 18-unit certificate covers print reading, building codes, materials, inspection, construction law, and estimating, and the college says the program prepares students for the LEED Green Associate exam.
- Trade-off: Despite the project management name, no required course is titled scheduling or project management, and one of the six courses is an inspection course.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | Building Construction Project Management, A.S.; Building Construction Project Management, Certificate of Achievement |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Pasadena, CA |
| Credit Hours | 60 (A.S., 18 in the major); 18 (certificate) |
| Internship | Not required |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None stated |
| Software Taught | Not stated |
| Exam Preparation | LEED Green Associate, per Pasadena City College’s program outcomes |
| Degree Holders | Students with a U.S. bachelor’s degree are deemed to have met A.S. general education |
| Tuition | $46 per unit in-state; $481 per unit out-of-state |
Building Construction Project Management, A.S.
The estimated tuition for the Building Construction Project Management A.S. at Pasadena City College is approximately $2,940 in-state (60 credits at $49.00/credit, derived from $46 per unit plus mandatory fees for 4 semesters).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters).
The Building Construction Project Management A.S. prepares students to apply for construction project manager positions in public or private settings, covering communication, sustainability, workplace safety, and managing, scheduling, and estimating budgets, per Pasadena City College. The 18-unit major is combined with general education to reach 60 units. The out-of-state estimate is about $29,040.
A.S. Curriculum
The major is six required courses, each completed with a C or better.
- Documents and codes (2 courses, 6 units): BLDG 212 Print Reading for Construction and BLDG 213 Building Construction Codes and Standards.
- Materials and inspection (2 courses, 6 units): BLDG 214 Materials and Processes of Construction: Sub Grade to Roof Framing and BLDG 218 Inspection of Architectural Details.
- Law and estimating (2 courses, 6 units): BLDG 219 Legal Factors of Construction and BLDG 220 Estimating for Building Construction.
Pasadena City College’s major covers documents, codes, materials, contracts, and estimating, a solid technical base for reading and pricing projects. Scheduling, safety plans, RFIs, and change orders appear in the program outcomes rather than as stand-alone courses, so students should ask which courses teach them.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog page does not list A.S.-specific courses or a total; 60 units is California’s minimum for an associate degree.
- The catalog page shows no catalog year, and course descriptions were not reachable.
- Pasadena City College lists a separate Construction Inspection certificate; BLDG 213 and BLDG 218 lean toward inspection work.
A.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: No internship or co-op is listed.
- Project work: Not clearly stated.
- Hours, pay, and employer partners: Not clearly stated.
With no field component, students should pair the coursework with part-time construction work to build the project experience employers expect of project managers.
A.S. Admissions
Pasadena City College is open-enrollment, and the program lists no separate admission requirements.
- General education: Cal-GETC is the current pattern; students with catalog rights may use IGETC or CSU GE.
- Bachelor’s holders: Students with a U.S. bachelor’s degree are deemed to have met general education and elective requirements, per Pasadena City College.
Building Construction Project Management, Certificate of Achievement
The estimated tuition for the Building Construction Project Management Certificate of Achievement at Pasadena City College is approximately $918 in-state (18 credits at $51.00/credit, derived from $46 per unit plus mandatory fees for 2 semesters).
The program can generally be completed in about 1 year (2 semesters).
The Certificate of Achievement is awarded after completing all six required courses with a C or better, per Pasadena City College.
- Courses (6 courses, 18 units): BLDG 212, BLDG 213, BLDG 214, BLDG 218, BLDG 219, and BLDG 220.
Because the certificate and the A.S. major are the same six courses, the certificate is the faster route for career changers, and bachelor’s holders can earn the A.S. with the same coursework.
Tuition
All students pay the $46 per unit enrollment fee plus, each fall and spring semester, a $26 health fee, a $10 student activity fee, a $7 transportation fee, and a $2 representation fee. Nonresidents add $409 per unit in tuition and a $26 per unit capital outlay fee.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Enrollment fee (all students) | $46 per unit |
| Nonresident tuition | +$409 per unit |
| Capital outlay fee (nonresidents) | +$26 per unit |
| Health fee | $26 per fall or spring semester |
| Student activity fee | $10 per fall or spring semester |
| Transportation fee | $7 per fall or spring semester |
| Student representation fee | $2 per semester |
- A.S. estimate: 60 × $46 = $2,760, plus 4 × $45 = $180, for $2,940 in-state; 60 × $481 + $180 = $29,040 out-of-state (derived).
- Certificate estimate: 18 × $46 = $828, plus 2 × $45 = $90, for $918 in-state; 18 × $481 + $90 = $8,748 out-of-state (derived).
Be aware that:
- Pasadena City College’s nonresident figures match the state’s 2026-27 report of $409 tuition plus $26 capital outlay.
- The California College Promise Grant waives the enrollment fee for eligible California residents.
- Parking ($64 per semester at the main campus), course materials fees, and books are not included.
At under $3,000 in-state, the A.S. costs a fraction of a year at Cal Poly Pomona, one of the nearest construction management bachelor’s programs profiled here. See Pasadena City College’s fees and tuition.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Pasadena City College offers a short, technical route into construction project work for the San Gabriel Valley.
Career changers with a degree: The six-course certificate takes about a year, and bachelor’s holders can earn the A.S. with the same courses.
Sustainability-minded students: LEED Green Associate exam preparation is built into the program outcomes.
Students wanting scheduling and project controls: Those who want required scheduling, BIM, and work experience can compare Mt. San Antonio College in nearby Walnut.
Accreditation and Credentials
Pasadena City College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, which supports federal financial aid eligibility and credit transfer.
No programmatic accreditation is listed for Pasadena City College’s construction management programs.
Neither program embeds an industry certification, though Pasadena City College says the program prepares students for the LEED Green Associate exam.