Best colleges for Civil Engineering in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Southern California, Santa Clara University and California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in California by graduate earnings. University of Southern California leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $85,262, College Scorecard. University of California-Berkeley, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona and University of California-San Diego award the most Civil Engineering degrees in California: 376, 285 and 217 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 24 California colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 3,073 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Civil Engineering program focuses on the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and water supply systems. This program is ideal for students interested in applying engineering…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $85,262 | 87 | 92% | $26,873 | $8,125 |
| 2 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $84,883 | 30 | 88% | $44,094 | — |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,673 | 164 | 86% | — | $20,424 |
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,142 | 376 | 93% | — | $14,392 |
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,758 | 285 | 68% | — | $16,500 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,510 | 186 | 93% | — | $19,444 |
| 7 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,165 | 202 | 86% | — | $16,101 |
| 8 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,835 | 121 | 87% | — | $19,700 |
| 9 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,584 | 177 | 76% | — | $19,832 |
| 10 | California Baptist University Riverside Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,497 | 25 | 62% | $26,940 | $27,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 376 | $78,142 |
| 2 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona Public | 285 | $75,758 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 217 | $65,478 |
| 4 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 206 | Not reported |
| 5 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 202 | $75,165 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 186 | $75,510 |
| 7 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 177 | $73,584 |
| 8 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 172 | $73,342 |
| 9 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo Public | 164 | $80,673 |
| 10 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento Public | 153 | $71,342 |
ShowHide the other 14 California colleges offering Civil Engineering
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose State University | San Jose | Public | 136 |
| California State University - Fullerton | Fullerton | Public | 126 |
| University of California-Irvine | Irvine | Public | 121 |
| California State University - Northridge | Northridge | Public | 112 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 87 |
| California State University - Los Angeles | Los Angeles | Public | 76 |
| California State University - Fresno | Fresno | Public | 61 |
| California State University - Chico | Chico | Public | 52 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | Public | 49 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | Private not-for-profit | 30 |
| University of California-Merced | Merced | Public | 28 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | Private not-for-profit | 25 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 19 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton | Private not-for-profit | 13 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Top skills
What Civil Engineers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+
University of California-Berkeley (376 graduates a year), California State Polytechnic University - Pomona (285 graduates a year) and University of California-San Diego (217 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 24 California colleges offer Civil Engineering.
What is the best college for Civil Engineering in California?+
By graduate earnings, University of Southern California leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $85,262, College Scorecard. Santa Clara University and California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Berkeley is the largest, with 376 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Civil Engineering program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Southern California tops the list at $85,262. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Civil Engineers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in California is $124,540 (median $122,500), across about 55,180 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Civil Engineering program?+
The Civil Engineering program focuses on the design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and water supply systems. This program is ideal for students interested in applying engineering…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Civil Engineers?+
The national job outlook is about +5.0% growth with around 23,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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