School of Applied Technology and Hospitality Management • Chula Vista, CA • Campus • $48/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
Southwestern College offers 2 construction management pathways:
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.S. | $2.9K in-state / $25.5K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 60 (33 in the major) |
| Certificate | $1.8K in-state / $15.4K out-of-state | 2 years (4 semesters) | 36 |
Tuition estimates use the $46 per unit California community college enrollment fee plus Southwestern College’s health, representation, and student center fees; out-of-state adds $377 per unit in nonresident tuition.
- Why choose it: Southwestern College builds its construction management program on an architectural practice sequence, with building codes, structures, CAD, accounting, and business law, and Architectural Practice III covers critical path scheduling and AIA contracts.
- Trade-off: No required course is dedicated to estimating, CI 90 Construction Project Management leans toward quality control, and no internship is listed.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | Construction Management, Associate in Science (Career/Technical); Construction Management, Certificate of Achievement |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Chula Vista, CA |
| Credit Hours | 60 (A.S., 33 in the major); 36 (certificate) |
| Internship | Not required |
| Programmatic Accreditation | None stated |
| Software Taught | Computer-aided design (ARCH 200) |
| Code Coursework | CI 60 and CI 65 Building Codes I and II, based on the International Building Code |
| Catalog | 2026-27 |
| Tuition | $46 per unit in-state; $423 per unit out-of-state |
Construction Management, Associate in Science
The estimated tuition for the Construction Management A.S. at Southwestern College is approximately $2,900 in-state (60 credits at $48.33/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 Construction Management A.S. prepares students for construction industry jobs, covering methods and materials, building codes, cost analysis and control, scheduling, and early-planning consultation with design professionals, per Southwestern College. Graduates may work for general contractors, developers, facilities management, or design-build architecture firms. The 33-unit major is combined with general education to reach 60 units. The out-of-state estimate is about $25,520.
A.S. Curriculum
The major is laid out over four semesters.
- Architectural practice and design (6 courses, 17 units): ARCH 115 Graphic Communication for Architects and Designers, ARCH 165 Architectural Practice I, ARCH 200 Introduction to Computer Aided Design, ARCH 235 Structures, ARCH 265 Architectural Practice II, and ARCH 266 Architectural Practice III (2 units).
- Codes and project management (3 courses, 9 units): CI 60 Building Codes I, CI 65 Building Codes II, and CI 90 Construction Project Management.
- Business (2 courses, 7 units): ACCT 101 Principles of Accounting I (4 units) and BUS 140 Business Law/The Legal Environment of Business.
- Recommended electives: ARCH 205 Advanced Architectural CAD, ARCH 222 Environmental Controls, and CI 70 Inspection of Architectural Details and Structural Inspection.
Southwestern College teaches construction through the architect’s lens, with construction documents in ARCH 165, critical path scheduling and AIA contracts in ARCH 266, and two code courses. The program description lists cost analysis and control, but no required course is titled estimating, so students should ask where that content is taught.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The certificate requires 36 units, more than the 33-unit A.S. major, because it adds ARCH 209 Construction Surveying.
- CI 90’s catalog description targets construction inspection managers, quality control representatives, and project engineers, and recommends prior construction inspection coursework.
- Southwestern College groups construction management with its Construction Inspection programs, which are separate credentials.
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.
Students should pair the architecture and code coursework with construction or inspection work to build field experience before applying for project roles.
A.S. Admissions
Southwestern College is open-enrollment, and the program lists no separate admission requirements.
- Sequencing: CI 65 continues CI 60, and the architectural practice series runs I through III.
- General education: required in addition to the 33-unit major.
Construction Management, Certificate of Achievement
The estimated tuition for the Construction Management Certificate of Achievement at Southwestern College is approximately $1,796 in-state (36 credits at $49.89/credit, derived from $46 per unit plus mandatory fees for 4 semesters).
The program can generally be completed in about 2 years (4 semesters), following Southwestern College’s semester layout.
The Construction Management Certificate of Achievement prepares students for employment in the construction industry with the same focus areas as the A.S., per Southwestern College.
- Courses (12 courses, 36 units): all eleven A.S. major courses plus ARCH 209 Construction Surveying.
Because the certificate includes every A.S. major course, certificate holders need only general education to finish the degree.
Tuition
All students pay the $46 per unit enrollment fee plus a $28 health fee (6 or more units) and a $2 representation fee each fall and spring semester, and Chula Vista campus students pay a $1 per unit student center fee capped at $10 per year. Nonresidents add $377 per unit in tuition.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Enrollment fee (all students) | $46 per unit |
| Nonresident tuition | +$377 per unit |
| Health fee | $28 per fall or spring semester (6+ units) |
| Student representation fee | $2 per semester |
| Student center fee | $1 per unit, $10 maximum per year |
- A.S. estimate: 60 × $46 = $2,760, plus 4 × $30 and 2 × $10 ($140), for $2,900 in-state; 60 × $423 + $140 = $25,520 out-of-state (derived).
- Certificate estimate: 36 × $46 = $1,656, plus $140 in fees over 4 semesters, for $1,796 in-state; 36 × $423 + $140 = $15,368 out-of-state (derived).
Be aware that:
- Southwestern College’s $377 nonresident tuition matches the state’s 2026-27 report, which lists no capital outlay fee for the district.
- The California College Promise Grant waives the enrollment fee for eligible California residents.
- The optional $16 student activities sticker, parking ($40 per semester), and books are not included.
At about $2,900 in-state, the A.S. costs a fraction of a year at San Diego State, one of the San Diego construction management bachelor’s programs profiled here. See Southwestern College’s fees.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Southwestern College serves South Bay San Diego students who want a design- and code-informed route into construction.
Design-build and architecture-office roles: The architectural practice series, CAD, and structures courses prepare students to work alongside designers and read construction documents closely.
Code-savvy project staff: Two International Building Code courses and an optional inspection elective overlap with Southwestern College’s Construction Inspection programs.
Students wanting estimating and scheduling courses: Those who want those topics as stand-alone required courses can compare programs such as Cosumnes River College.
Accreditation and Credentials
Southwestern 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 Southwestern College’s construction management programs.
Neither program embeds an industry certification.