Colorado · Civil Engineering

Best colleges for Civil Engineering in Colorado

Ranked by graduate earnings

Colorado State University - Fort Collins, University of Colorado Boulder and University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Colorado by graduate earnings. Colorado State University - Fort Collins leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $73,326, College Scorecard. Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University - Fort Collins award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Colorado: 124, 116 and 105 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 6 Colorado colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 449 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…

Institutions
6
offering CIP 14.08
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
449
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$72,362
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
4
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
65%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Civil Engineers
$114,460
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 4 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public · Bachelor's degree
$73,32610567%—$25,480
2University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Public · Bachelor's degree
$73,03311674%—$20,500
3University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver Public · Bachelor's degree
$72,3625246%—$38,460
4Colorado School of Mines
Golden Public · Bachelor's degree
$70,30112482%—$25,000

Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in Colorado

Top 6 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.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Colorado School of Mines
Golden Public
124$70,301
2University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Public
116$73,033
3Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public
105$73,326
4University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver Public
52$72,362
5United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy Public
51Not reported
6Front Range Community College
Westminster Public
1Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+5.0%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~23,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$99,590
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Active ListeningReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingSpeakingMathematicsScience

What Civil Engineers earn in Colorado

Jobs in Colorado
13,290
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$114,460
median $101,420
Best-paying metro
$116,830
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Related careers

Civil Engineers
$114,460 avg · 13,290 jobs
Petroleum Engineers
$170,270 avg · 1,390 jobs
Environmental Engineers
$113,550 avg · 1,320 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in Colorado.

Which Colorado colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+

Colorado School of Mines (124 graduates a year), University of Colorado Boulder (116 graduates a year) and Colorado State University - Fort Collins (105 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 6 Colorado colleges offer Civil Engineering.

What is the best college for Civil Engineering in Colorado?+

By graduate earnings, Colorado State University - Fort Collins leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Colorado, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $73,326, College Scorecard. University of Colorado Boulder and University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus follow. By degrees awarded, Colorado School of Mines is the largest, with 124 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Civil Engineering program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Colorado State University - Fort Collins tops the list at $73,326. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Civil Engineers earn in Colorado?+

The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in Colorado is $114,460 (median $101,420), across about 13,290 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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