by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Building/Property Maintenance involves the study of Building/property Maintenance. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Keep A Building Functioning, And To Service A Variety Of Structures Including Commercial And Industrial Buildings And Mobile Homes. Includes Instruction In The Basic Maintenance And Repair Skills Required To Service Building Systems, Such As Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing, Electrical, Major Appliances, And Other Mechanical Systems. Examples: [Building Maintenance], [Property Maintenance], [Custodial Services]. Read on to learn the essential details every building/property maintenance major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering building/property maintenance programs.
In the U.S., building/property maintenance draws strong interest, with 2,023 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Building/Property Maintenance Schools ranking analyzes these 87 schools to determine the best overall colleges for building/property maintenance students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of building/property maintenance programs later in this article.
Programs in Building/Property Maintenance develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations building/property maintenance graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a building/property maintenance program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a building/property maintenance major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several building/property maintenance degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 675 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 241 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,067 |
People currently working in careers related to building/property maintenance tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 27.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 22.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 15.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 14.4% |
| Some college courses | 9.0% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 9.0% |
| Master’s degree | 2.3% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in building/property maintenance careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in building/property maintenance prepares you for numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to building/property maintenance.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to building/property maintenance.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 646,091 | 3.6% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 559,938 | 2.5% |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | 484,877 | 9.2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | 397,916 | -2.8% |
| Security Managers | 360,967 | 0.6% |
| Facilities Managers | 268,353 | -0.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of building/property maintenance graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,822 |
| 4 years | $32,489 |
| 5 years | $37,102 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for building/property maintenance graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers building/property maintenance grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Facilities Managers | $157,669 |
| Security Managers | $104,128 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $83,555 |
| Solar Energy Installation Managers | $57,985 |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | $48,754 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers | $43,751 |
With 87 different building/property maintenance programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased building/property maintenance school rankings to help you.
Those considering building/property maintenance, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
