Certificate (2-4 years)+7% vs national median213 grads tracked
Construction Trades at Minnesota West Community and Technical College
Ranked 4th of 16 certificate (2-4 years) programs in Construction Trades by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$46,886
middle 50%: $38,566 – $55,568
Median · 5 years out
$65,835
middle 50%: $53,343 – $85,664
Median · 10 years out
$74,768
middle 50%: $57,372 – $105,099
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Construction Trades (certificate (2-4 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Construction Trades certificate holders at Minnesota West earn $46,886 in their first year. Median earnings rise to $74,768 after ten years.
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
6.3 yrs
≈ $7,206 total interest
Same major at other universities
Rochester Community and Technical College
$69,746 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota North College
$69,154 · 5 yrs out
Anoka Technical College
$68,222 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
$62,349 · 5 yrs out
Lake Superior College
$62,075 · 5 yrs out
Dakota County Technical College
$61,969 · 5 yrs out
Minneapolis Community and Technical College
$61,468 · 5 yrs out
St. Cloud Technical and Community College
$61,054 · 5 yrs out
Northwest Technical College - Bemidji
$60,837 · 5 yrs out
Saint Paul College - A Community & Technical College
$59,848 · 5 yrs out
Riverland Community College
$58,659 · 5 yrs out
Ridgewater College
$57,688 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Minnesota West Community and Technical College
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate)
$81,339 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Associate)
$80,008 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$73,677 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Certificate)
$71,728 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural and Food Products Processing (Certificate)
$71,728 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$71,412 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Associate)
$66,891 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Certificate)
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Certificate)
$65,835 · 5 yrs out
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Certificate)
$64,916 · 5 yrs out
Construction Trades (Certificate)
$63,170 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate)
$62,818 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection
Compare universities
Carpenters
Compare universities
Construction Trades, General
Compare universities
Construction Trades, Other
Compare universities
Electrical and Power Transmission Installers
Compare universities
Mason/Masonry
Compare universities