Construction Engineering Technology at Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD · Public · Associate Degree · Construction Engineering Technologies

with a smaller student body of 1,710 in Watertown, SD.

Program Analysis

At $75,253 per year, Construction Engineering Technology graduates from Lake Area Technical College significantly outpace the $57,701 national average for this trade, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 58.6x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Construction Engineering Technology programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Construction Engineering Technology's career paths, with 51% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 0% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $12,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

This program is one of 6 schools offering Construction Engineering Technology in our dataset — a specialized trade with limited comparison points.

64 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
60
Low End
64
Score
66
High End
Earnings $75,253/yr (30% vs median)
AI-Proof Exposed (49% shielded)
Job Market Large (69,200 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Year 1 Earnings
$75K
Reported median after graduation
Earnings Multiple
58.6x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
3 of 3
Occupations with strong AI resilience
Program Tuition
$13,436
Median Debt at Graduation
$12,000
1.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$65,335
Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Construction Engineering Technology graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Construction managers $106,980 +8.7% 56%
Cost estimators $77,070 -4.2% 50%
Civil engineering technologists and technicians $64,200 +2.1% 41%
Construction managers
$106,980
+8.7% growth 56% AI-proof
Cost estimators
$77,070
-4.2% growth 50% AI-proof
Civil engineering technologists and technicians
$64,200
+2.1% growth 41% AI-proof

Construction Engineering Technology Career Guide

See the full career breakdown for Construction Engineering Technology — job titles, salary ranges, and growth projections for graduates from Lake Area Technical College and 5 other schools.

Read the full Construction Engineering Technology career guide →

Compare & Explore

Construction Engineering Technology Overview

Construction Engineering Technology at Other Schools

Other Majors at Lake Area Technical College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Construction Engineering Technology at Lake Area Technical College?
A score of 64/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Construction Engineering Technology field.
Will AI affect Construction Engineering Technology careers?
AI exposure of 51% is a real factor. For Lake Area Technical College specifically, the gap between optimistic ($787,314) and pessimistic ($787,314) decade earnings reflects that uncertainty.
What's the typical debt for Construction Engineering Technology graduates from Lake Area Technical College?
At $12,000 in median debt, Construction Engineering Technology graduates from Lake Area Technical College carry minimal financial burden. The debt-to-income ratio of 0.2x is well below the trade program average.
What's the job market like for Construction Engineering Technology from Lake Area Technical College?
With approximately 69,200 annual openings across mapped careers, Construction Engineering Technology offers a large employment pool. Lake Area Technical College graduates enter a market shaped by ongoing digital transformation and technology adoption.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →