Professional Certificate in Construction Estimating Online
SDSU Global Campus · San Diego, CA
- Cost
- $3,735
- Length
- 10 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 90%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 280
- Finished the program
- 91%Based on 96 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 90%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- $21,500A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Shrinking -3.1%
California projects this job will shrink over the next ten years. Fewer openings may mean a harder search.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Related work California expects more of
The U.S. Department of Labor lists these as related to the job above, and California projects growth in them rather than decline. Related is not the same as interchangeable: the training, the licences and the pay can all differ, and this program does not train for these. It is a place to start asking, not a recommendation.
- Architectural and Engineering Managers$213,808 · +5% · 17 programs here
- Industrial Engineers$128,088 · +11.9% · 8 programs here
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$85,827 · +4.1% · 7 programs here
- Civil Engineers$125,929 · +8.2% · 5 programs here
- Logisticians$94,448 · +19.5% · 4 programs here
Where California publishes a separate figure for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Construction Managers
Job ads may call this: Site Manager · Concrete Foreman · Job Superintendent · Construction Foreman
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
- Develop or implement quality control programs.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
- Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
Show 2 more things this job involves
- Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
- Determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites.
What this pays in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $83,671 | $135,445 | $211,845 |
| Across California | $83,477 | $135,394 | $215,526 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $135,394per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $130,760
- Projected openings
- 47,800San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 5,700
- Projected change
- +10.9%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- 1 to 12 months
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 66% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 8%
- High school diploma
- 27%
- Started college, no degree
- 23%
- Two-year degree
- 9%
- Four-year degree
- 27%
- Master's degree
- 6%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 1%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Cost Estimators
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Analyst · Estimator · Cost Analyst · Cost Engineer
- Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.
- Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.
- Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.
- Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.
Show 3 more things this job involves
- Prepare estimates for use in selecting vendors or subcontractors.
- Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.
- Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.
What this pays in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $56,543 | $88,632 | $153,676 |
| Across California | $52,618 | $86,894 | $153,320 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $86,894per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $86,169
- Projected openings
- 20,470San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 2,300
- Projected change
- -3.1%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- 1 to 12 months
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Four-year degree — 34% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Bachelor's degree. 60% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 3%
- High school diploma
- 21%
- Started college, no degree
- 24%
- Two-year degree
- 11%
- Four-year degree
- 34%
- Master's degree
- 5%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 0.8%
Program details
This program provides online instruction, e-learning, or distance learning only.
This certificate program provides an excellent overview of basic and advanced principles of construction estimating and bidding in the building construction industry. Students must successfully complete five of eight courses to earn this certificate. No entrance exams are required. Courses are entirely online and run for ten week terms. Discussions using an online bulletin board afford students the opportunity to examine everyday construction challenges shared by others in the construction industry.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
Metro Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675 and 619-266-4253
4389 Imperial AvenueSan Diego, CA 92113about 4.9 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
East County Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675
151 Van Houten AvePCGEl Cajon, CA 92020about 6.3 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm
South Bay Career CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 619-319-9675
333 H StreetSouth Bay Career Bldg. Suite 1055Chula Vista, CA 91910about 9.4 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5 :00p.m.
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →