Department of Construction, School of Engineering • Edwardsville, IL • Campus • $492.60/Credit (U.S. Residents, incl. fees)
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville offers one construction management program: the B.S. in Construction Management, a 129-hour ACCE-accredited degree with an optional land surveying specialization.
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $63.5K | 4 years (8 semesters) | 129 (135 with land surveying) |
Tuition estimates use SIUE’s 2026-27 School of Engineering tuition and mandatory fees for U.S. residents, converted to a per-credit rate.
- Why choose it: SIUE’s B.S. requires a 3-credit internship and Calculus I, builds a business administration minor into the major, and has held ACCE accreditation continuously since 2001, currently through July 2031.
- Trade-off: At 129 credits, the degree runs 9 credits past a standard 120-hour bachelor’s, and the sample plan needs 15 to 18 credits every semester to finish in four years.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S. in Construction Management |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Edwardsville (Engineering Building) |
| Credit Hours | 129; 135 with the land surveying specialization |
| Internship | Required: CNST 470 (3 credits) |
| Programmatic Accreditation | ACCE since 2001 (expires July 2031) |
| Software Taught | BIM (CNST 271); computer applications (CNST 153) |
| Math | MATH 150 Calculus I (5); PHYS 131; STAT 244 |
| Admission to Major | Eligible for MATH 125 Pre-calculus or higher; 2.0 GPA |
| Tuition | $7,389/semester at 15 credits, tuition and fees, U.S. residents (2026-27) |
B.S. in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Management at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is approximately $63,545 (129 credits at $492.60/credit). The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters).
The B.S. in Construction Management is offered by SIUE’s Department of Construction, which began in 1978 and also offers a B.S. in Surveying and Geomatics.
B.S. Curriculum
- Math and science: MATH 150 Calculus I (5), PHYS 131 College Physics I with lab (5), CHEM 120A with lab (4), and STAT 244 Statistics (4)
- Management courses: CNST 261 Estimating I: Takeoffs, CNST 361 Estimating II: Labor, Resource Leveling, and Bidding, CNST 303 Planning, Scheduling, and Project Management, CNST 411 Construction Contracts, and CNST 452 Construction Management (4)
- Technical courses: CNST 111 Civil and CNST 210 Building Materials and Methods, CNST 241 Statics and Mechanics of Solids (4), CNST 301 Soils with lab, CNST 351 Structural Systems, CNST 332 Mechanical Systems, CNST 321 Electrical Systems, and SURV 264 Surveying Fundamentals (4)
- Documents and software: CNST 153 Computer Applications in Construction, CNST 231 Plans and Specifications, and CNST 271 Graphics Communication/Introduction to BIM
- Business minor: ACCT 200, ACCT 210, ACCT 340 Business Law, FIN 320, MGMT 330, and GBA 383
- Electives (12 hours): four construction or surveying electives from a list including CNST 415, 425, 432, 461, and SURV 310 and 364
- Other: CNST 120 Introduction to Construction, CNST 371 Sustainable Building, and PHIL 323 Engineering Ethics
The degree carries two estimating courses, a scheduling course, and a contracts course alongside a full building-systems sequence (structures, soils, mechanical, electrical). The six business courses complete a business administration minor without extra credits, and the math starts at Calculus I.
More curriculum details are available in SIUE’s sample curriculum.
You Should Know
- The sample plan has an 18-credit first semester and 17-credit second and third semesters, so falling behind in math or physics can push graduation past four years.
- The land surveying specialization adds 24 hours of surveying courses and raises the degree to 135 credits (SIUE’s sample plan shows 137). SIUE says it prepares graduates to sit for the Illinois Fundamentals of Surveying exam.
- Students must keep a 2.0 GPA in engineering courses and a 2.25 GPA in business courses to stay in the major.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- CNST 470 Internship (3 credits) is a required course, scheduled in the spring of junior year in the sample plan.
- SIUE doesn’t publish required hours, paid status, or a list of placement employers on its program pages.
A required, credit-bearing internship means every graduate has documented field experience on the transcript.
B.S. Admissions
Admission to the major requires eligibility for MATH 125 Pre-calculus or higher and a 2.0 GPA.
- Freshmen are admitted directly to the School of Engineering with a 2.6 high school GPA, a 2.0 GPA plus a 19 ACT or 990 SAT, or a top-10% class rank
- Transfer students with 30 or more hours and a 2.0 GPA are admitted directly
- SIUE publishes transfer guides from community colleges including Joliet Junior College, College of DuPage, Parkland, Kaskaskia, Southwestern Illinois College, and Lewis and Clark
Tuition
SIUE charges School of Engineering majors $7,389 per semester at 15 credits for 2026-27, including mandatory fees and the engineering tuition differential. The rate applies to all U.S. residents, not only Illinois residents.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Engineering tuition and fees per semester (15 credits) | $7,389 |
| Derived per-credit rate | $492.60 |
| B.S. (129 credits) | $63,545 |
| B.S. with land surveying (135 credits) | $66,501 |
See SIUE’s School of Engineering tuition page.
Be aware that:
- Engineering majors pay a 15% differential above SIUE’s base tuition; it’s included in the $7,389.
- Base tuition is guaranteed for four continuous academic years.
- Studio and lab fees may be charged on top, and student health insurance ($2,583 a year) is added unless waived.
For students from Missouri or other states, SIUE’s single U.S. rate puts the B.S. at about $63.5K, less than Illinois State University’s $115,657 out-of-state estimate.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for students in the St. Louis metro and southern Illinois who want an accredited construction degree with a required internship, calculus-level math, and a business minor.
Required internship: SIUE puts a credit-bearing internship in the degree. Illinois State requires 800 work hours instead, while Bradley University and Eastern Illinois University leave internships optional.
Surveying path: The land surveying specialization adds 24 hours of surveying coursework aimed at the Illinois Fundamentals of Surveying exam, a route toward Professional Land Surveyor licensure.
Accreditation and Credentials
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), which supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
The B.S. in Construction Management has been accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) since 2001. ACCE’s 2025 annual report lists the current accreditation as running from February 2024 to July 2031.
The land surveying specialization is designed to meet Illinois’s eligibility requirements for the Fundamentals of Surveying exam. SIUE doesn’t state that the construction degree counts toward a contractor license; Illinois has no statewide general contractor license.