College Rankings

Best Civil Engineering Schools

The top 25 of 224 U.S. colleges offering an undergraduate Civil Engineering degree, ranked by early-career earnings and return on investment — using each school's real, aid-adjusted net price rather than sticker tuition.

Is Civil Engineering worth it?

For the right price, it is one of the safest bets in higher education. Civil engineering is a highly standardized, licensed profession where a shiny prestige diploma matters far less than passing your Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and getting your foot in the door. Because municipal governments, state transportation departments, and regional construction firms are the primary employers, the financial value is overwhelmingly found at low-cost public universities. If you avoid massive private student loans, this degree reliably pays for itself within a few years and offers a nearly recession-proof career building and repairing essential infrastructure.

Filter by state

#	School	State	Score	Median earnings	Net price / yr	10-yr net ROI
1	University of California-Berkeley	CA	77	$78,142	$13,481†	+$727K
2	California State University-Los Angeles	CA	77	$73,178	$3,967†	+$716K
3	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	CA	76	$80,673	$16,665†	+$740K
4	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	CA	76	$75,758	$11,531†	+$711K
5	University of California-Los Angeles	CA	76	$75,510	$12,548†	+$705K
6	University of Washington-Tacoma Campus	WA	76	$73,357	$10,163†	+$693K
7	California State University-Long Beach	CA	76	$73,342	$10,440†	+$692K
8	California State University-Fullerton	CA	76	$72,606	$6,555†	+$700K
9	California State University-Sacramento	CA	76	$71,342	$9,338†	+$676K
10	California State University-Fresno	CA	76	$71,093	$7,000†	+$683K
11	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus	GA	75	$75,688	$12,116†	+$708K
12	University of California-Davis	CA	75	$75,165	$14,741†	+$693K
13	University of California-Irvine	CA	75	$73,835	$14,251†	+$681K
14	San Diego State University	CA	75	$73,584	$15,364†	+$674K
15	University of Washington-Seattle Campus	WA	75	$73,357	$14,091†	+$677K
16	University of Florida	FL	75	$72,889	$6,541†	+$703K
17	California State University-Chico	CA	75	$72,350	$14,480†	+$666K
18	University of Alaska Anchorage	AK	75	$72,140	$15,301†	+$660K
19	University of Alaska Fairbanks	AK	75	$71,312	$10,892†	+$670K
20	San Francisco State University	CA	75	$68,256	$12,278†	+$633K
21	CUNY City College	NY	75	$67,194	$3,776†	+$657K
22	University of Maryland-College Park	MD	74	$76,731	$15,678†	+$705K
23	George Mason University	VA	74	$75,822	$17,915†	+$687K
24	Washington State University	WA	74	$74,841	$14,971†	+$689K
25	University of Houston	TX	74	$74,822	$14,276†	+$691K
26	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign	IL	74	$73,397	$14,355†	+$677K
27	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus	CO	74	$72,362	$11,900†	+$676K
28	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus	CT	74	$70,388	$10,875†	+$660K
29	University of Connecticut-Avery Point	CT	74	$70,388	$13,807†	+$649K
30	University of Nevada-Las Vegas	NV	74	$69,629	$10,359†	+$655K
31	University of Central Florida	FL	74	$69,321	$10,411†	+$652K
32	Portland State University	OR	74	$67,509	$9,552†	+$637K
33	Florida International University	FL	74	$66,215	$9,288†	+$625K
34	Purdue University-Main Campus	IN	73	$74,369	$14,600†	+$685K
35	Wayne State University	MI	73	$73,488	$12,766†	+$684K
36	Central Connecticut State University	CT	73	$71,859	$16,857†	+$651K
37	The University of Texas at Arlington	TX	73	$70,629	$13,951†	+$650K
38	University of South Florida	FL	73	$70,047	$9,812†	+$661K
39	University of Illinois Chicago	IL	73	$69,310	$10,974†	+$649K
40	The University of Texas at San Antonio	TX	73	$67,994	$10,836†	+$637K
41	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	MI	73	$67,764	$13,138†	+$625K
42	The University of Texas at Tyler	TX	73	$67,671	$13,323†	+$623K
43	West Virginia University Institute of Technology	WV	73	$67,062	$9,337†	+$633K
44	Florida State University	FL	73	$67,050	$11,297†	+$625K
45	University of California-San Diego	CA	73	$65,478	$12,470†	+$605K
46	Ohio University-Eastern Campus	OH	73	$63,884	$3,925†	+$623K
47	California State University-Northridge	CA	73	$62,768	$7,021†	+$600K
48	University of Southern California	CA	72	$85,262	$32,740	+$722K
49	Texas A&M University-College Station	TX	72	$75,793	$21,315†	+$673K
50	The University of Texas at Austin	TX	72	$75,153	$19,857†	+$672K
51	University of Virginia-Main Campus	VA	72	$74,772	$21,565†	+$661K
52	Texas Tech University	TX	72	$74,655	$19,070†	+$670K
53	University of Delaware	DE	72	$72,783	$17,799†	+$657K
54	Michigan Technological University	MI	72	$70,928	$14,182†	+$653K
55	Arizona State University Campus Immersion	AZ	72	$70,721	$14,967†	+$647K
56	North Carolina A & T State University	NC	72	$70,474	$10,846†	+$661K
57	University of Connecticut-Stamford	CT	72	$70,388	$16,798†	+$637K
58	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus	CT	72	$70,388	$16,403†	+$638K
59	University of Hawaii at Manoa	HI	72	$70,330	$15,664†	+$641K
60	University of Arizona	AZ	72	$69,655	$16,674†	+$630K
61	University of Nebraska at Omaha	NE	72	$68,574	$13,441†	+$632K
62	Utah State University	UT	72	$68,025	$14,936†	+$621K
63	University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus	OK	72	$67,452	$15,300†	+$613K
64	University of Missouri-Kansas City	MO	72	$67,076	$13,310†	+$618K
65	Northern Arizona University	AZ	72	$66,589	$14,158†	+$609K
66	University of North Florida	FL	72	$65,622	$10,154†	+$616K
67	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga	TN	72	$65,419	$14,265†	+$597K
68	Florida Atlantic University	FL	72	$64,671	$8,752†	+$612K
69	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	OH	72	$63,884	$5,755†	+$616K
70	Ohio University-Southern Campus	OH	72	$63,884	$5,993†	+$615K
71	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	OH	72	$63,884	$5,650†	+$616K
72	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	OH	72	$63,884	$5,746†	+$616K
73	New Mexico State University-Main Campus	NM	72	$60,212	$8,889†	+$567K
74	Manhattan University	NY	71	$75,290	$27,256	+$644K
75	University of North Dakota	ND	71	$73,260	$18,551†	+$658K
76	North Dakota State University-Main Campus	ND	71	$72,729	$15,543†	+$665K
77	Iowa State University	IA	71	$72,502	$18,589†	+$651K
78	University of Utah	UT	71	$72,156	$16,200†	+$657K
79	University of Wisconsin-Madison	WI	71	$71,246	$17,354†	+$643K
80	Oregon State University	OR	71	$70,635	$19,604†	+$628K
81	Oregon State University-Cascades Campus	OR	71	$70,635	$18,048†	+$634K
82	North Carolina State University at Raleigh	NC	71	$70,346	$17,303†	+$634K
83	Western Michigan University	MI	71	$69,706	$15,273†	+$636K
84	University of Louisiana at Lafayette	LA	71	$69,177	$13,530†	+$638K
85	University of Idaho	ID	71	$68,885	$14,831†	+$630K
86	Brigham Young University	UT	71	$68,685	$15,564	+$625K
87	University of Kansas	KS	71	$68,486	$18,059†	+$613K
88	New Jersey Institute of Technology	NJ	71	$68,288	$16,504†	+$617K
89	Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	IL	71	$67,260	$14,889†	+$613K
90	Texas A&M University-Kingsville	TX	71	$66,429	$12,090†	+$616K
91	Kennesaw State University	GA	71	$65,259	$15,048†	+$592K
92	University of Memphis	TN	71	$64,780	$12,397†	+$598K
93	Florida Gulf Coast University	FL	71	$64,411	$12,568†	+$594K
94	Old Dominion University	VA	71	$64,246	$14,638†	+$584K
95	The University of Texas at El Paso	TX	71	$60,287	$9,403†	+$565K
96	Cornell University	NY	70	$80,261	$28,690	+$688K
97	The Catholic University of America	DC	70	$77,501	$29,561	+$657K
98	California Baptist University	CA	70	$73,497	$26,285	+$630K
99	Michigan State University	MI	70	$72,048	$19,680†	+$642K
100	Illinois Institute of Technology	IL	70	$71,760	$18,425	+$644K
101	Missouri University of Science and Technology	MO	70	$70,664	$16,298†	+$641K
102	University of Wisconsin-Platteville	WI	70	$69,582	$16,032†	+$632K
103	University of North Carolina at Charlotte	NC	70	$67,934	$15,435†	+$618K
104	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College	LA	70	$67,552	$19,151†	+$599K
105	University of Nevada-Reno	NV	70	$67,379	$15,927†	+$610K
106	West Virginia University	WV	70	$67,062	$15,634†	+$608K
107	University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown	PA	70	$66,943	$18,202†	+$597K
108	University of Akron Main Campus	OH	70	$66,820	$13,946†	+$612K
109	University of Louisville	KY	70	$66,064	$17,988†	+$589K
110	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale	IL	70	$65,269	$13,297†	+$600K
111	University of New Orleans	LA	70	$65,119	$12,384†	+$602K
112	University of Wyoming	WY	70	$64,595	$13,599†	+$592K
113	Oregon Institute of Technology	OR	70	$64,425	$15,706†	+$581K
114	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	WI	70	$64,317	$15,014†	+$583K
115	Prairie View A & M University	TX	70	$63,372	$13,570†	+$579K
116	University of Mississippi	MS	70	$58,112	$13,314†	+$528K
117	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	TX	70	$54,182	$4,831†	+$522K
118	University of Notre Dame	IN	69	$74,499	$26,780	+$638K
119	Colorado State University-Fort Collins	CO	69	$73,326	$21,279†	+$648K
120	Morgan State University	MD	69	$70,667	$14,985†	+$647K
121	University of Nebraska-Lincoln	NE	69	$70,542	$17,747†	+$634K
122	Clemson University	SC	69	$69,386	$22,253†	+$605K
123	Ohio State University-Main Campus	OH	69	$68,031	$17,339†	+$611K
124	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley	PA	69	$67,966	$18,220†	+$607K
125	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	MN	69	$65,835	$16,778†	+$591K
126	Mississippi State University	MS	69	$65,805	$17,595†	+$588K
127	University of Massachusetts-Lowell	MA	69	$65,103	$17,163†	+$582K
128	Tennessee Technological University	TN	69	$63,577	$14,246†	+$579K
129	University of South Alabama	AL	69	$59,547	$17,648†	+$525K
130	The University of Alabama	AL	68	$70,619	$22,420†	+$617K
131	Rutgers University-New Brunswick	NJ	68	$70,609	$24,406†	+$608K
132	University of Connecticut	CT	68	$70,388	$25,097†	+$603K
133	University of Toledo	OH	68	$70,388	$17,249†	+$635K
134	University of Iowa	IA	68	$70,313	$22,531†	+$613K
135	Minnesota State University-Mankato	MN	68	$69,861	$19,139†	+$622K
136	University of Massachusetts-Amherst	MA	68	$69,757	$22,383†	+$608K
137	Valparaiso University	IN	68	$69,549	$18,578	+$621K
138	University of South Carolina-Columbia	SC	68	$69,424	$22,811†	+$603K
139	Cleveland State University	OH	68	$66,295	$14,764†	+$604K
140	University of Minnesota-Duluth	MN	68	$65,175	$18,743†	+$577K
141	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville	TN	68	$64,386	$18,976†	+$568K
142	Georgia Southern University	GA	68	$63,195	$15,267†	+$571K
143	University of Alabama at Birmingham	AL	68	$62,283	$18,749†	+$548K
144	Virginia Military Institute	VA	68	$61,547	$17,113†	+$547K
145	Citadel Military College of South Carolina	SC	68	$61,163	$20,723†	+$529K
146	Western Kentucky University	KY	68	$60,086	$10,990†	+$557K
147	Youngstown State University	OH	68	$59,149	$12,767†	+$540K
148	University of New Mexico-Main Campus	NM	68	$54,248	$15,489†	+$481K
149	Northeastern University	MA	67	$76,362	$30,915	+$640K
150	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	VA	67	$74,285	$24,953†	+$643K
151	Bradley University	IL	67	$72,573	$22,719	+$635K
152	Saint Martin's University	WA	67	$71,601	$28,119	+$604K
153	University of Cincinnati-Main Campus	OH	67	$71,377	$25,648†	+$611K
154	University of Missouri-Columbia	MO	67	$69,566	$20,268†	+$615K
155	Kansas State University	KS	67	$69,300	$19,406†	+$615K
156	South Dakota State University	SD	67	$69,129	$19,841†	+$612K
157	University of Rhode Island	RI	67	$68,728	$21,440†	+$602K
158	Rowan University	NJ	67	$67,362	$22,408†	+$584K
159	University of Kentucky	KY	67	$67,044	$18,851†	+$595K
160	University of Maine	ME	67	$64,785	$17,510†	+$578K
161	University of Arkansas	AR	67	$61,979	$18,209†	+$547K
162	University of Colorado Boulder	CO	66	$73,033	$25,346†	+$629K
163	Colorado School of Mines	CO	66	$70,301	$28,690†	+$588K
164	South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	SD	66	$68,755	$20,183†	+$607K
165	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona	PA	66	$67,966	$22,213†	+$591K
166	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg	PA	66	$67,966	$23,330†	+$586K
167	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine	PA	66	$67,966	$22,585†	+$589K
168	University of Vermont	VT	66	$61,898	$19,343†	+$542K
169	Santa Clara University	CA	65	$84,883	$50,062	+$649K
170	University of Portland	OR	65	$72,094	$28,210	+$608K
171	University of Dayton	OH	65	$71,411	$29,533	+$596K
172	Auburn University	AL	65	$68,291	$24,323†	+$586K
173	University of New Hampshire-Main Campus	NH	65	$67,035	$23,805†	+$575K
174	Boise State University	ID	65	$65,648	$21,610†	+$570K
175	University at Buffalo	NY	65	$64,604	$20,995†	+$562K
176	Ohio University-Main Campus	OH	65	$63,884	$21,637†	+$552K
177	Wentworth Institute of Technology	MA	64	$75,001	$34,170	+$613K
178	Syracuse University	NY	64	$74,748	$38,793	+$592K
179	Purdue University Northwest	IN	64	$69,339	$6,079†	+$669K
180	Marquette University	WI	64	$68,386	$31,487	+$558K
181	Montana State University	MT	64	$67,373	$22,499†	+$584K
182	Montana Technological University	MT	63	$80,327	$16,481†	+$737K
183	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	MA	63	$76,419	$43,071	+$592K
184	New York University	NY	63	$72,628	$37,050	+$578K
185	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	NY	63	$71,790	$36,228	+$573K
186	University of New Haven	CT	63	$70,495	$34,192	+$568K
187	Lafayette College	PA	63	$70,391	$34,433	+$566K
188	Widener University	PA	63	$69,289	$25,759	+$590K
189	Temple University	PA	63	$68,389	$28,198†	+$571K
190	Ohio Northern University	OH	63	$68,129	$24,478	+$583K
191	University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus	PA	63	$66,943	$30,434†	+$548K
192	University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth	MA	63	$63,158	$20,927†	+$548K
193	Gonzaga University	WA	62	$74,355	$35,119	+$603K
194	Stevens Institute of Technology	NJ	62	$74,011	$41,346	+$575K
195	Lehigh University	PA	62	$73,545	$36,931	+$588K
196	University of Georgia	GA	62	$73,327	$13,936†	+$678K
197	Clarkson University	NY	62	$70,136	$30,305	+$580K
198	University of Hartford	CT	62	$67,968	$30,282	+$559K
199	Trine University	IN	62	$65,700	$25,355	+$556K
200	Bucknell University	PA	61	$80,231	$40,766	+$639K
201	Drexel University	PA	61	$72,087	$38,509	+$567K
202	Jackson State University	MS	61	$49,498	$23,836†	+$400K
203	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	IN	60	$73,821	$42,513	+$568K
204	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus	PA	60	$67,966	$32,875†	+$548K
205	Louisiana Tech University	LA	60	$61,868	$11,864†	+$571K
206	Stony Brook University	NY	59	$71,856	$18,784†	+$643K
207	Villanova University	PA	59	$71,525	$43,756	+$540K
208	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	OK	59	$71,176	$17,447†	+$642K
209	SUNY Polytechnic Institute	NY	59	$63,637	$14,164†	+$580K
210	Milwaukee School of Engineering	WI	57	$72,940	$22,453	+$640K
211	Florida Institute of Technology	FL	57	$64,579	$35,639	+$503K
212	University of Alabama in Huntsville	AL	56	$64,122	$18,796†	+$566K
213	Angelo State University	TX	55	$56,688	$15,091†	+$507K
214	Norwich University	VT	54	$44,884	$22,257	+$360K
215	Lawrence Technological University	MI	53	$77,836	$32,918	+$647K
216	The College of New Jersey	NJ	53	$71,649	$27,646†	+$606K
217	Southern University and A & M College	LA	53	$60,219	$20,077†	+$522K
218	Loyola Marymount University	CA	52	$87,790	$48,381	+$684K
219	Western New England University	MA	52	$67,726	$27,290	+$568K
220	University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez	PR	52	$41,324	$17,936†	+$341K
221	Merrimack College	MA	51	$75,556	$37,927	+$604K
222	Case Western Reserve University	OH	50	$74,266	$41,190	+$578K
223	Quinnipiac University	CT	50	$73,064	$40,675	+$568K
224	Seattle University	WA	50	$69,151	$34,662	+$553K

Top 10 programs by 10-year net ROI

How to read this: Median earnings = typical pay one year after graduation. Net price = average annual cost after grant aid, incl. living costs — not sticker tuition. 10-yr net ROI = ten years of earnings minus four years of net price. Score = the CollegeRanked Score (0–100) that sets the order — it blends ROI with longer-run earnings, job demand and automation resilience, so a school can outrank one with a slightly higher 10-yr ROI. † = public university — net price shown is the in-state cost; out-of-state students pay more. See the full methodology.

Why these schools rank where they do

UC Berkeley takes the number one spot because it pairs a highly accessible in-state tuition with the reputation of the premier civil engineering program on the planet. Berkeley graduates feed directly into the world's most lucrative infrastructure market, securing roles at global heavyweights like Bechtel and Arup, or managing massive Bay Area transit and seismic retrofitting projects.

But the real story of this ranking is the absolute dominance of the California State University system, which claims seven of the top ten spots. Programs like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona operate on a strict "learn by doing" philosophy, turning out graduates who are famous among West Coast employers for being site-ready on day one. When you combine that practical training with California's colossal state budget for highway, water, and high-speed rail projects, CSU graduates are stepping into a localized hiring frenzy without the burden of private-school debt.

You will also notice extreme-geography schools like the University of Alaska Anchorage and Fairbanks punching far above their weight. This is a classic supply-and-demand pipeline: Alaska has brutal infrastructure challenges and a massive energy sector, and these programs produce the exact cold-region engineering talent that local oil, gas, and construction firms are willing to pay a premium to keep in-state.

What is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering is the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment. Day-to-day, these engineers are the people ensuring bridges don't collapse, managing massive public transit expansions, and designing municipal water systems that can withstand climate change.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an elite or Ivy League degree to get a good job?

Absolutely not. Civil engineering is a pragmatic, heavily regulated field. Employers care that your program is ABET-accredited and that you can pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. A degree from a solid state school will get you the exact same entry-level job at a regional construction firm or state department of transportation as a degree from an expensive private university.

Should I specialize in a specific sub-field right away?

Most undergraduate programs give you a broad foundation in structural, geotechnical, transportation, and environmental engineering before letting you choose electives in your junior and senior years. You don't need to lock yourself in on day one. However, keep in mind that certain specialties, particularly structural engineering, increasingly expect a master's degree for advanced design work, while construction management and transportation are highly accessible with just a bachelor's.

Is civil engineering mostly desk work or field work?

It is entirely up to the career path you choose. Design engineers spend the majority of their time in an office running calculations and working in CAD software. Conversely, if you pivot toward construction engineering or project management, you will spend your days in a hard hat on active job sites, coordinating contractors and ensuring the physical build matches the blueprints.