Best colleges for Civil Engineering in New York
Ranked by graduate earnings
Cornell University, Manhattan University and Syracuse University are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in New York by graduate earnings. Cornell University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $80,261, College Scorecard. Columbia University, University at Buffalo and Manhattan University award the most Civil Engineering degrees in New York: 153, 122 and 105 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 18 New York colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 1,015 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 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,261 | 100 | 95% | $17,613 | $12,750 |
| 2 | Manhattan University Riverdale Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,290 | 105 | 64% | $26,807 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,748 | 53 | 84% | $28,851 | $27,000 |
| 4 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,628 | 64 | 88% | $29,023 | $21,905 |
| 5 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,856 | 50 | 76% | — | $17,250 |
| 6 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,790 | 65 | 84% | $28,900 | $26,979 |
| 7 | Clarkson University Potsdam Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,136 | 71 | 75% | $27,281 | $27,000 |
| 8 | CUNY City College New York Public · Bachelor's degree | $67,194 | 36 | 57% | — | $17,500 |
| 9 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public · Bachelor's degree | $64,604 | 122 | 75% | — | $22,913 |
| 10 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica Public · Bachelor's degree | $63,637 | 22 | 55% | — | $19,146 |
Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in New York
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 | Columbia University New York Private not-for-profit | 153 | Not reported |
| 2 | University at Buffalo Buffalo Public | 122 | $64,604 |
| 3 | Manhattan University Riverdale Private not-for-profit | 105 | $75,290 |
| 4 | Cornell University Ithaca Private not-for-profit | 100 | $80,261 |
| 5 | Clarkson University Potsdam Private not-for-profit | 71 | $70,136 |
| 6 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy Private not-for-profit | 65 | $71,790 |
| 7 | New York University New York Private not-for-profit | 64 | $72,628 |
| 8 | Syracuse University Syracuse Private not-for-profit | 53 | $74,748 |
| 9 | Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester Private not-for-profit | 52 | Not reported |
| 10 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook Public | 50 | $71,856 |
ShowHide the other 8 New York colleges offering Civil Engineering
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | New York | Private not-for-profit | 45 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point | Public | 37 |
| CUNY City College | New York | Public | 36 |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute | Utica | Public | 22 |
| CUNY LaGuardia Community College | Long Island City | Public | 18 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| CUNY Hostos Community College | Bronx | Public | 5 |
| Union College | Schenectady | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Top skills
What Civil Engineers earn in New York
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in New York.
Which New York colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+
Columbia University (153 graduates a year), University at Buffalo (122 graduates a year) and Manhattan University (105 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in New York, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 18 New York colleges offer Civil Engineering.
What is the best college for Civil Engineering in New York?+
By graduate earnings, Cornell University leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in New York, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $80,261, College Scorecard. Manhattan University and Syracuse University follow. By degrees awarded, Columbia University is the largest, with 153 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Civil Engineering program in New York has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Cornell University tops the list at $80,261. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Civil Engineers earn in New York?+
The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in New York is $117,880 (median $103,760), across about 17,500 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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