As a general contractor, you wear many hats (or helmets, if you want to keep your job) – construction expert, business owner, marketing professional, logistics maestro, engineering authority, and so on – all of which require knowledge and experience with a variety of fields.

While the beauty of general contracting is that you don’t need anything but job experience and hard work to reach the GC level, one does sometimes wonder if a college degree is necessary – or even beneficial to becoming a general contractor.

In this article, we’ll take a look at whether it makes sense to get a college degree if you’re planning to become a general contractor. Is it worth it? And if so, what degree makes the most sense if a general contracting career is in your future?

Do You Need A Degree As A General Contractor?

A general contractor is akin to the conductor of an orchestra, ensuring every instrument plays in harmony to create a symphony. From the initial design and planning stages to the final brick laid, they oversee every nuance of a construction project.

The cold reality is that being a general contractor is a ton of work. Sure, it’s physically taxing, with long hours and constant problem-solving, but for most contractors, we’re used to spending long hours on our feet, often in hot buildings or cold winds.

No, more significantly, being a general contractor is extremely taxing mentally. It requires you to constantly be in problem-solving mode, both on a micro and macro- scale. You need to pay attention to a thousand different things at once, often doing complex calculations and cost-benefit analyses in your head about materials, labor, and client expectations.

This leads us to our original question – do you need a degree as a general contractor? The answer is no. But do you need a flashlight when inspecting a job site at night? Nor do you need a worksite trailer when a tent would do. Sure, you can do without it, but education is like any tool – it can only make you better if you know how to use it.

A degree can arm you with the wide array of tools gen cons needs to not only survive as a general contractor – an extremely competitive field – but to thrive. All education and knowledge can give you a massive advantage over your competitors, so while you don’t need a degree, if you work at it, it’ll reap big rewards for you and your business.

What Is The Best Degree For a General Contractor?

If you’re thinking about becoming a general contractor, there’s a variety of different degrees out there that can benefit your business. While construction-related degrees used to be relegated to the worlds of engineering and architecture, schools across the country have begun offering construction-related degrees in things like general contracting!

That said, general contracting degrees are still rather rare and lack pedigree at this point in time. Usually, you find that the best educational opportunities for general contracting-specific education are local schools (like ours) that have established streamlined content relevant only to general contractors.

With that in mind, you’ll find that universities and colleges offer degrees related to only a few general contracting skills, like engineering or architecture.

Which of these types of degrees you pick isn’t specific. There isn’t really the best degree for general contractors. They all offer different things, with different pros and cons.

Bachelor’s in Building Science

• Overview: A fusion of construction techniques with business acumen.
• Key Subjects: Mathematics, design principles, building codes, construction methodologies, cost estimation, and project management.
• Pros: Offers a panoramic view of the construction landscape, while also getting into the nitty gritty with mathematics and understanding of codes.
• Cons: Few. Hard to tell if programs lean towards one or the other – business or construction.

Bachelor’s in Construction Engineering

• Overview: As the name suggests, this degree yields an understanding of the technical and mechanical aspects of construction.
• Key Subjects: Structural dynamics, geotechnics, materials science, and construction logistics.
• Pros: Prepares students for the technical challenges of large-scale construction projects. An engineering degree means you can tackle any challenge.
• Cons: Unlike many building science degrees, this program is often lacking in business programs.

Bachelor’s in Architecture

• Overview: Architecture is basically an intersection of design with construction.
• Key Subjects: Architectural design principles, building systems integration, and presentation and communication skills.
• Pros: Ensures projects are both visually appealing and structurally sound. Forces you to work through real-world problems as you develop your work.
• Cons: You might find yourself pigeonholed as an architect rather than a general contractor. If you like doing on-site work, this might not be for you

The Best Universities for General Contractor-Related Degrees

Want to get a degree in one of these fields? Here are some of the most well-respected degrees in the nation. While many of these universities are expensive, they may give you a leg up on the competition not only in the pedigree of their classes but also in the value of their network.

What’s really important is you choose an area of expertise that is interesting to you, as that will give you the best chance of success in your field.

Building Science:

• Auburn University – Auburn’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction offers a comprehensive Building Science program. Visit Auburn University’s Building Science Program
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo – Cal Poly SLO’s Construction Management program is renowned for its hands-on approach. Visit Cal Poly SLO’s Construction Management Program
• Clemson University – Clemson’s Construction Science and Management program is designed to provide students with both theoretical and practical knowledge. Visit Clemson University’s CSM Program
• Texas A&M University – The Construction Science program at Texas A&M is known for its emphasis on leadership and management in construction. Visit Texas A&M’s Construction Science Program
• Virginia Tech – The Building Construction program at Virginia Tech focuses on the integration of construction, design, and management. Visit Virginia Tech’s Building Construction Program

Construction Engineering:

• Purdue University – Purdue’s College of Engineering offers a Construction Engineering and Management program. Visit Purdue University’s Construction Engineering Program
• University of Michigan – UMich’s Construction Engineering and Management program combines civil engineering principles with construction management. Visit University of Michigan’s Construction Engineering Program
• Stanford University – Stanford’s Construction Engineering program emphasizes sustainable construction and project management. Visit Stanford’s Construction Engineering Program
• University of California, Berkeley – UC Berkeley’s Construction Engineering and Management program is designed to equip students with the skills needed for leadership roles in construction. Visit UC Berkeley’s Construction Engineering Program
• Georgia Institute of Technology – Georgia Tech’s Construction Engineering program focuses on innovative construction practices and technologies. Visit Georgia Tech’s Construction Engineering Program

Architecture:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning is globally renowned. Visit MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning
• Harvard University – The Graduate School of Design at Harvard offers an interdisciplinary approach to architectural education. Visit Harvard’s Graduate School of Design
• Columbia University – Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation is known for its innovative approach to architectural design. Visit Columbia University’s GSAPP
• Yale University – Yale’s School of Architecture emphasizes both design and research in its curriculum. Visit Yale’s School of Architecture
• University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) – UCLA’s School of the Arts and Architecture offers a comprehensive program that combines design, media arts, and urban planning. Visit UCLA’s School of the Arts and Architecture

There’s No Wrong Answer Here

When it comes to becoming a general contractor, the wonderful thing is that there is no wrong answer. It’s one of the things we love about our profession – anyone, from any walk of life, can work hard, acquire the right skills, make the right moves, and ultimately become a general contractor!

That is to say, we neither recommend going to, or skipping school as a general contractor. If it works for you, there’s certainly a lot to gain. If you’d rather skip school and start getting experience, that path is relevant as well.

While many of us turned to the construction field because we didn’t like school, the potential upsides of going to school for general contractor-related education far outweigh the negatives of going back to school.

And honestly, if you can’t hack it in the cushy halls of a college, you frankly won’t be able to handle the significant demands of effective general contracting. We always recommend arming yourself with knowledge – and in that vein, we have to say that more education is better. That said, everyone’s situation is different, so make sure it makes sense for you.

Additional Reading

National Association of State Contractors Licensing Agencies
Best Degree Programs – Construction Project Manager
College Consensus – Construction Degrees