WhatGradsMake
Certificate (1-2 years)+46% vs national median656 grads tracked

Construction Trades at City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College

Ranked 7th of 89 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Construction Trades by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$69,083
middle 50%: $53,735 – $81,043
Median · 5 years out
$101,225
middle 50%: $70,984 – $150,989
Median · 10 years out
$169,215
middle 50%: $72,341 – $247,038

Salary trajectory

Median earnings vs the national median for Construction Trades (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.

This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates

Kennedy-King College construction trades graduates earn a high $69k in their first year. Median salaries hit $169k by the tenth year.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.

Will the degree pay for itself?

Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.

Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).

Paid off in
4.3 yrs
≈ $4,677 total interest

Same major at other universities

Other majors at City Colleges of Chicago - Kennedy-King College

Related fields of study