M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management • Gainesville, FL • Campus • $214.54/Credit (In-State, incl. fees)
The University of Florida offers 3 construction management pathways:
- B.S. in Construction Management
- Master of Construction Management (M.C.M.)
- Master of Science in Construction Management (M.S.C.M.)
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $25.7K in-state / $138.5K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters) | 120 |
| M.C.M. | $18.8K-$20.1K in-state / $46.3K-$53.3K out-of-state | 1.5 years (3 semesters) | 30-36 |
| M.S.C.M. | $18.8K-$20.1K in-state / $46.3K-$53.3K out-of-state | 1.5-2 years (3-4 semesters) | 30-36 |
Tuition estimates use UF’s 2026-2027 per-credit tuition plus mandatory fees, at the undergraduate rate for 1000-4000 level courses and the College of Design, Construction and Planning graduate rate for 5000-6000 level courses.
- Why choose it: UF’s ACCE-accredited B.S. has three entry routes into one selective junior year: UF freshman admission, the Gator Design and Construction cohort that starts at Santa Fe College, or an A.A. transfer. The STEM-designated M.C.M. and M.S.C.M. run three semesters, and every admitted master’s student is considered for funded assistantships.
- Trade-off: Finishing the freshman and sophomore work does not guarantee a junior-year seat, and applicants get two attempts. Every pathway is campus-based in Gainesville, the B.S. has no required internship, and master’s admission is fall-only.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S.; M.C.M. (non-thesis); M.S.C.M. (thesis); combined B.S./M.S.C.M. |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Rinker Hall and Perry Construction Yard, Gainesville |
| Credit Hours | 120 (B.S.); 30, plus 6 leveling credits if needed (master’s) |
| Internship | Not required; optional 3-credit internship courses at both levels |
| Programmatic Accreditation | ACCE (B.S.); none stated for the master’s degrees |
| Software Taught | BIM elective and 4-D modeling coursework; specific software not clearly stated |
| Industry Certifications | None embedded |
| Transfer Pathway | A.A. transfer; equivalency guides for 11 Florida colleges; GDC cohort at Santa Fe College |
| Upper-Division Admission | Limited access; 2.50 GPA minimum; March 15 (fall) and September 15 (spring) deadlines |
| Math Requirement | MAC 2233 Survey of Calculus 1, STA 2023 Statistics, PHY 2053 Physics 1 |
| Tuition | $214.54/credit undergraduate; $627.82/credit graduate (in-state) |
B.S. in Construction Management
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Management at the University of Florida is approximately $25,745 (120 credits at $214.54/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters) of full-time study.
Official program: Bachelor of Science in Construction Management
B.S. Curriculum
The degree splits into 60 lower-division credits (general education plus preprofessional prerequisites) and 60 upper-division credits taken as a fixed junior and senior sequence.
- Math and science: MAC 2233 Survey of Calculus 1, STA 2023 Statistics, PHY 2053 Physics 1
- Construction prerequisites: Construction Materials, Construction Drawing, Construction Mechanics (4 credits)
- Business prerequisites: Financial Accounting, Macroeconomics, Legal Environment of Business, Professional Writing in Construction
- Management and cost (28): Principles of Construction Management, Estimating 1 and 2, Planning and Control, Construction Finance, Contracts, Project Management, Capstone, Principles of Management
- Structures and systems (20): Construction Techniques, Structures, Soils and Concrete, Temporary Structures, Electrical Systems, Mechanical Systems
- Other upper-division (12): Graphic Communication in Construction; Safety, Health and Environment; two electives
- Optional emphases: residential (real estate and housing electives) or heavy/civil (Heavy Construction Equipment and Methods, Heavy Construction Management, heavy-project capstone); each earns a school certificate, not a transcript notation
The upper division leans toward management. About 28 of 60 credits cover estimating, scheduling, finance, contracts, and project delivery, while 20 cover structures and building systems. The capstone simulates a full project, from design and estimate to contract and administration. Survey of Calculus and algebra-based physics put the math above College Algebra-only programs but below calculus-based engineering tracks.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The catalog’s school page lists a 125-credit minimum (64 prerequisite plus 61 upper-division credits). The major page and the Rinker School’s plan both total 120.
- Courses must be taken in the set sequence. Failing two BCN courses in one term, or the same BCN course twice, leads to dismissal.
- Twelve upper-division courses carry a “C” lecture/lab suffix, with labs in the Perry Construction Yard.
- The residential emphasis course list differs between the Rinker School page and the catalog. Confirm current requirements with an advisor.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: no
- Credit option: BCN 4949 Construction Management Internship, 3 credits, minimum two-term employment, advance approval required
- Certified internships: summer or 8-month, with workshops, minimum hours, and a report; only the 8-month version earns course credit
- Paid status: not clearly stated
- Placement support: in-house career placement coordinator and two career fairs per year
Field experience is encouraged, not built in. Students who skip summer work can graduate with lab and capstone time but no jobsite record. UF’s spring 2026 graduation survey reported a $79,900 average starting salary and $2,400 average signing bonus. Project engineer was the most common title (44%), and 69% went to general contractors.
You Should Know
- The salary survey reflects 36 responses from 60 surveyed undergraduates, so it may not represent the full class.
B.S. Admissions
Entry to the junior year is limited access, and meeting the minimums does not guarantee a seat.
- Three routes in: UF freshman admission, the Gator Design and Construction cohort at Santa Fe College, or transfer with an A.A. degree
- GDC students who meet tracking requirements gain UF status after their first semester; freshman applicants are considered for GDC automatically
- Critical-tracking GPA rises from 2.35 in semester 1 to 2.50 by semester 4
- Upper-division minimum: 2.50 GPA in prerequisites and overall
- Selection weighs academic record, construction experience, leadership, and a personal statement
- Students may apply to the upper division only twice
- Transfers need an A.A., the prerequisites, and UF’s foreign language requirement; up to 15 credits can transfer from another ACCE four-year program
- Deadlines: March 15 for fall, September 15 for spring
Master of Construction Management (M.C.M.)
The estimated tuition for the M.C.M. at the University of Florida is approximately $18,835 (30 credits at $627.82/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years (3 semesters) of full-time study.
Official program: Master of Construction Management (MCM)
M.C.M. Curriculum
The non-thesis M.C.M. is 30 credits of coursework. Students without an ACCE-accredited CM bachelor’s add 6 leveling credits.
- Leveling (6, if required): Fundamentals of Building Construction I and II
- Core (15): Advanced Construction Cost Estimating, Advanced Construction Planning, Advanced Construction Project Management, Construction Project Development, Advanced Construction Information Technology
- Electives (15): BCN electives such as Construction Law, Value Engineering, Sustainable Construction, Building Energy Modeling, and Facilities Operation, plus approved non-BCN courses
- Optional: up to 3 internship credits in summer
Half the degree is a fixed management core, and half is elective. That gives career changers room to add law, sustainability, or real estate courses from other UF colleges. The recommended plan runs fall, spring, and fall at 12 credits each, with summer open for an internship.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- The Rinker School says leveling applies to students “from non-construction backgrounds.” The graduate catalog applies it to anyone without an ACCE-accredited CM bachelor’s.
- BCN 5789C appears as “Construction Project Development” in the handbook and graduate catalog and as “Construction Project Delivery” in the undergraduate catalog.
M.C.M. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: no
- Credit option: BCN 5949 Graduate Construction Management Internship, up to 3 credits in summer
- Paid status and placement support: not clearly stated for graduate students
- Career access: two career fairs per year with 100+ companies, per the school’s master’s flyer
A summer internship can cut the final term from 12 to 9 credits. For career changers, it is the only built-in jobsite exposure, so it is worth planning early.
M.C.M. Admissions
Admission is fall-only, with a January 15 deadline.
- Bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 upper-division GPA
- Two-page statement of purpose, current CV, three letters of recommendation
- GRE not required; $30 application fee
- English proficiency: IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 84 (old scale) for applicants who need it
- Admitted students are automatically considered for funded teaching and research assistantships
Master of Science in Construction Management (M.S.C.M.)
The estimated tuition for the M.S.C.M. at the University of Florida is approximately $18,835 (30 credits at $627.82/credit).
The program can generally be completed in about 1.5 years (3 semesters) of full-time study.
Official program: Master of Science in Construction Management (MSCM)
M.S.C.M. Curriculum
The M.S.C.M. is the thesis track: 24 credits of coursework plus 6 thesis credits, with the same leveling rule as the M.C.M.
- Core: Advanced Construction Cost Estimating, Advanced Construction Planning, Advanced Construction Project Management, Advanced Construction Information Technology
- Research: BCN 6036 Research Methods in Construction; BCN 6971 Research for Master’s Thesis (two 3-credit stages)
- Electives: BCN and approved non-BCN courses
- Thesis process: three-member committee formed in semester one, proposal presentation, then an in-person public defense
This track suits students aiming at research roles or a Ph.D. Students funded by assistantships follow a four-semester plan at 9 credits per term, which matches the tuition waiver.
You Should Know
- An unsatisfactory thesis grade means repeating the stage or switching to the M.C.M.
- Funded students “usually” receive a 9-credit tuition waiver each fall and spring, per the handbook. Whether fees are covered is not clearly stated.
M.S.C.M. Internship and Field Experience
- Required: no
- Credit option: BCN 5949, up to 3 credits in summer
- Funded students may be barred from internships while on an assistantship
The handbook steers thesis students toward research over the summer, since the defense usually falls mid-way through the last term. Students who want both a thesis and industry experience should plan the trade-off with their chair.
M.S.C.M. Admissions
Requirements match the M.C.M. above. UF students can also enter through the combined B.S./M.S.C.M. program.
- Combined program eligibility: 3.4 upper-division GPA plus approval from both undergraduate and graduate programs
- Students start graduate work in senior year and count 12 graduate BCN credits toward both degrees
- The graduate catalog says this cuts the M.S.C.M. to one year
Tuition
UF charges Florida residents $149.24 per credit in tuition for undergraduate courses ($105.07 base plus $44.17 differential). Mandatory fees add $65.30, for $214.54 per credit. Graduate courses in the College of Design, Construction and Planning cost $539.49 in tuition plus $88.33 in fees, for $627.82.
| Per-Credit Item | Undergraduate | DCP Graduate |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $105.07 | $539.49 |
| Tuition Differential | $44.17 | n/a |
| Capital Improvement Fee | $6.76 | $6.76 |
| Student Financial Aid Fee | $5.25 | $26.97 |
| Technology Fee | $5.25 | $6.56 |
| Activity and Service Fee | $19.06 | $19.06 |
| Athletic Fee | $3.46 | $3.46 |
| Health Fee | $16.08 | $16.08 |
| Transportation Access Fee | $9.44 | $9.44 |
| Total, Florida Resident | $214.54 | $627.82 |
| Total, Non-Resident | $1,153.88 | $1,544.58 |
| Program Total, In-State | $25,744.80 (120 cr.) | $18,834.60 (30 cr.) |
| Program Total, Out-of-State | $138,465.60 | $46,337.40 |
Be aware that:
- Master’s students who need leveling add 6 undergraduate-level credits: $1,287.24 in-state or $6,923.28 out-of-state, for totals of $20,121.84 and $53,260.68 (derived).
- Approved non-BCN graduate electives bill at UF’s general graduate rate of $532.52, about $95 less per credit than DCP courses.
- The combined B.S./M.S.C.M. runs about $42,005 in-state for both degrees, roughly $2,574 less than taking them separately (derived, assuming the 12 shared credits bill at the graduate rate).
- Assistantship holders typically receive a 9-credit tuition waiver per fall and spring term.
- The UF Online rate of $129.18 per credit does not apply; construction management is not a UF Online major.
- Repeating an undergraduate course a third time adds $248.52 per credit.
Florida residents pay about $25,700 for the B.S. before aid, and about $18,800 to $20,100 for either master’s. Out-of-state undergraduates pay more than five times the in-state rate, which makes residency the biggest cost factor. See UF’s 2026-27 tuition and fee schedule.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for Florida students who can earn a selective junior-year seat and want an ACCE-accredited degree with a direct path into a three-semester master’s.
The ideal B.S. student. A Florida high school senior or state college A.A. student with solid grades in calculus, statistics, and physics prerequisites. Students who miss UF freshman admission can still be offered the GDC cohort at Santa Fe College. Transfer students from 11 Florida colleges have course-by-course equivalency guides. Those who want an associate degree with ACCE standing first should compare Santa Fe College’s A.S., though UF’s transfer route requires an A.A.
The ideal master’s student. A career changer from engineering, architecture, or business who can relocate to Gainesville and start in fall. Assistantships and a 3-semester timeline keep costs down for those who earn funding. Students wanting a thesis and research path should choose the M.S.C.M.; those heading straight to industry should choose the M.C.M.
Who should look elsewhere. Working professionals who need online or evening classes will not find them here. Students who want a required internship or a guaranteed junior-year seat should look at other Florida programs.
Accreditation and Credentials
The University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Institutional accreditation keeps students eligible for federal financial aid and lets other schools evaluate credits for transfer.
The B.S. is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE), and the Rinker School was among the first programs ACCE accredited, in 1976. UF appears on ACCE’s baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13). Neither master’s degree lists ACCE accreditation. ACCE status also matters inside UF: graduates of ACCE-accredited CM bachelor’s programs skip the master’s leveling courses.
No industry certifications are embedded in either degree. UF does not state Florida contractor-licensing or AIC Associate Constructor exam relevance for its programs.