Personnel training objectives of clear and accurate and mature and effective training paths are the key to answer the question of what kind of person and how to train in the construction of cost engineering major. As one of the first "double world-class" universities to set up the cost engineering major (direction), Southwest Jiaotong University, based on its own distinctive traffic characteristics, follows the requirements of discipline and specialty integration construction under the "double first-class" and "new engineering" to upgrade the engineering cost major. In accordance with the development trend of engineering cost major, four bases for determining the training target of engineering cost professional personnel are analyzed, such as service oriented to the demand orientation of high-quality interdisciplinary talents, the external demand power of urbanization process and transportation infrastructure development, the demand of graduate employment distribution and trend development over the years, the intrinsic motivation of the talent cultivation mission of "double world-class" university. The "outstanding application + scientific research innovation " compound talent training target is established. Accordingly, the realization matrix is constructed, and the realization paths of the whole process of engineering whole-cycle cost, such as four levels of capability, four dimensions of practice mode, compound structure of teachers, cooperative education between government- industry- university- research - application, and continuous improvement mechanism are proposed.It provides a reform direction and practical experience for the construction of characteristic engineering cost major.