Construction Trades
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
Colleges award this field under 13 named programs, from Building/Property Maintenance to Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection, Other.
Inside the major
Programs within this field
Colleges may offer this field under 13 more specific program names. The program you choose affects the courses you take.
- Building/Property Maintenance
- Prepares you to apply technical knowledge and skills to keep a building functioning, and to service a variety of structures including commercial and industrial buildings and mobile homes. Covers the basic maintenance and repair skills required to service building systems, such as air conditioning, heating, plumbing, electrical, major appliances, and other mechanical systems.
- Concrete Finishing/Concrete Finisher
- Prepares you to prepare, construct, and finish buildings, components, and related structures using compound masonry mixtures of stone, gravel, sand, cement, and water. Covers site preparation, applied mathematics, mixing formulas and applications, job estimation, concrete design, finishing techniques, mold preparation, reinforcement installation, site safety, and equipment operation and maintenance.
- Building/Home/Construction Inspection/Inspector
- Prepares you to apply industrial, labor, and governmental standards and laws to the oversight of construction projects and the maintenance of completed buildings and other structures. Covers construction processes and techniques, materials analysis, occupational safety and health, industry standards, building codes and specifications, blueprint interpretation, testing equipment and procedures, communication skills, accident investigation, and documentation.
- Drywall Installation/Drywaller
- Prepares you to apply technical knowledge and skills to install, tape, and plaster drywall installations in interior and exterior construction jobs. Covers drywall handling and transport, cutting and mounting, taping and spackling, finishing, job analysis and estimation, site safety, tool operation and maintenance, blueprint and specification interpretation, and applicable codes and standards.
- Glazier
- Prepares you to apply technical knowledge and skills to install and repair fixtures, sheets, windows, and skylights made of glass, plexiglass, and other transparent materials. Covers site measurement, job analysis and estimation, material cutting and trimming, window and door installation, site safety, equipment operation and maintenance, specification interpretation, and applicable codes and standards.
- Painting/Painter and Wall Coverer
- Prepares you to apply technical knowledge and skills to finish exterior and interior structural surfaces by applying protective or decorative coating materials, such as paint, lacquer, and wallpaper. Covers surface preparation; selecting, preparing, and applying paints and other coatings; hanging wallpaper; equipment operation and maintenance; finish selection; safety and clean-up; environmental effects on finishes; adhesion properties; and applicable codes and standards.
- Roofer
- Prepares you to apply technical knowledge and skills to prepare, install, and maintain exterior roofing materials and roofs. Covers building materials, flashing, lag bolts, site safety, equipment operation and maintenance, layering, site preparation, basic internal structural design, finishing, waterproofing, and applicable codes and standards.
- Metal Building Assembly/Assembler
- Prepares you to construct industrial, storage, and commercial metal structures using prefabricated framing and siding components. Covers sheet metal working, ironworking, assembly and fastening techniques, blueprint reading, site preparation, structural design principles, safety, and applicable codes and regulations.
- Building/Construction Site Management/Manager
- Prepares you to supervise, manage, and inspect construction sites, buildings, and associated facilities. Covers site safety, personnel supervision, labor relations, diversity training, construction documentation, scheduling, resource and cost control, bid strategies, rework prevention, construction insurance and bonding, accident management and investigation, applicable law and regulations, and communication skills.
- Carpet, Floor, and Tile Worker
- Prepares you to plan, prepare, install, and repair carpet; linoleum; vinyl; ceramic, marble, quarry, mosaic, and terazzo tiles; and wood materials on floors, walls, and stairs. Covers measuring, cutting, and installing materials; use of hand and power-operated equipment; estimation of material and labor costs; and safety training.
Also called Building Maintenance, Property Maintenance, Custodial Services
Also called Drywall, Acousting and Lathing Applicator, Drywall and Acoustical Mechanic, Lather (Interior Systems Mechanic), Interior Systems Installer, Wall and Ceiling Installer
Also called Erector Mechanic (Glazier), Glassworker
Also called Painting (Commercial), Painter and Decorator, Painter and Decorator - Commercial and Residential
Also called Carpet, Flooring, and Tile Technician, Floorcovering Installer, Carpet, Linoleum, and Soft Tile Layer, Carpet/Flooring and Hardwood Technician, Tiling and Flooring Technician, Tilesetter, Terrazzo, Tile and Marble Setter
Where it can lead
Careers this field can lead to
Explore related careers, starting with the closest connections and the occupations hiring the most people.
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Median pay
- $79,920
- Hiring change through 2035
- 5.0%
- Job openings a year
- 67,000
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this career Growing with the economyMaintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Median pay
- $49,590
- Hiring change through 2035
- 4.2%
- Job openings a year
- 148,700
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this career Growing with the economyFirst-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Median pay
- $49,100
- Hiring change through 2035
- 3.2%
- Job openings a year
- 30,800
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this career Growing with the economyFacilities Managers
- Median pay
- $106,660
- Hiring change through 2035
- 4.6%
- Job openings a year
- 14,200
To get hiredBachelor's degree
Explore this career Growing with the economyPainters, Construction and Maintenance
- Median pay
- $49,400
- Hiring change through 2035
- 3.0%
- Job openings a year
- 24,900
To get hiredNo formal educational credential
Explore this career Holding steadyConstruction and Building Inspectors
- Median pay
- $74,690
- Hiring change through 2035
- 0.0%
- Job openings a year
- 14,800
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this career Growing slowlyCement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Median pay
- $57,020
- Hiring change through 2035
- 1.6%
- Job openings a year
- 13,600
To get hiredNo formal educational credential
Explore this career GrowingRoofers
- Median pay
- $55,440
- Hiring change through 2035
- 5.3%
- Job openings a year
- 12,000
To get hiredNo formal educational credential
Explore this career Growing with the economyDrywall and Ceiling Tile Installers
- Median pay
- $58,930
- Hiring change through 2035
- 2.5%
- Job openings a year
- 6,600
To get hiredNo formal educational credential
Explore this career Growing with the economyCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Median pay
- $64,950
- Hiring change through 2035
- 3.2%
- Job openings a year
- 6,100
To get hiredAssociate's degree
Explore this career Growing with the economyStructural Iron and Steel Workers
- Median pay
- $62,780
- Hiring change through 2035
- 3.1%
- Job openings a year
- 5,900
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this career Growing fastSolar Photovoltaic Installers
- Median pay
- $53,140
- Hiring change through 2035
- 36.5%
- Job openings a year
- 4,200
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this careerAll work is projected to grow 3.5% between 2025 and 2035; read every hiring-change figure against it.
Working style
How and where the work happens
Related careers can feel very different from one another. Compare the specific occupations to understand the work each one involves.
Most careers connected to this field involve in-person work. About 63 of every 100 openings require working close to other people or spending time on your feet.
College options
Where to study it
Ordered by how many degrees each college awards in this field. Sort by any numbered column.
| College | Degrees a year | Admit rate | Average annual cost after aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas at San Antonio TX | 76 | 88% | $9,000 |
| Rowan University NJ | 56 | 78% | $19,000 |
| Tuskegee University AL | 12 | 31% | $35,000 |
| Thomas Jefferson University PA | 4 | 86% | $25,000 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Delhi NY | 2 | 88% | $19,000 |