Construction Management at Minnesota State University Moorhead

Minnesota State Moorhead's construction management graduates start with below-average earnings at $70,084—about $2,800 less than the typical Minnesota graduate and roughly $2,600 below the national median. Among Minnesota's four construction management programs, this ranks 40th percentile, trailing both the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Minnesota State-Mankato by around $5,000 in starting salary. However, the program does deliver lower debt than competitors, with graduates borrowing $21,764 compared to the state median of $25,241.

The earnings trajectory shows solid improvement, climbing to $86,765 by year four—a 24% increase that suggests construction management skills become more valuable with experience. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 is manageable, meaning graduates can expect to earn back their debt load in about four months of work. Still, that stronger year-four performance doesn't overcome the initial earnings gap with peer Minnesota programs.

For families weighing construction management programs in Minnesota, this represents a solid safety school option with reasonable debt, but the lower starting salary matters in a field where experience and early career momentum drive long-term success. If your child can gain admission to UMN-Twin Cities or Mankato, the $5,000+ starting salary advantage likely justifies any modest difference in costs.