Best colleges for Civil Engineering in Pennsylvania
Ranked by graduate earnings
Bucknell University, Lehigh University and Drexel University are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Pennsylvania by graduate earnings. Bucknell University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $80,231, College Scorecard. Pennsylvania State University, University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus and Carnegie Mellon University award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Pennsylvania: 215, 101 and 100 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 Pennsylvania colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 909 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 9 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 | Bucknell University Lewisburg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,231 | 22 | 86% | $30,675 | $27,000 |
| 2 | Lehigh University Bethlehem Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,545 | 51 | 88% | $26,912 | $27,000 |
| 3 | Drexel University Philadelphia Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,087 | 51 | 78% | $36,004 | $31,000 |
| 4 | Villanova University Villanova Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $71,525 | 95 | 92% | $33,774 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Lafayette College Easton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,391 | 34 | 88% | $20,396 | $16,000 |
| 6 | Widener University Chester Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,289 | 21 | 68% | $29,049 | $27,000 |
| 7 | Temple University Philadelphia Public · Bachelor's degree | $68,389 | 29 | 75% | — | $26,665 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University University Park Public · Bachelor's degree | $67,966 | 215 | 86% | — | $26,838 |
| 9 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Public · Bachelor's degree | $66,943 | 101 | 85% | — | $27,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in Pennsylvania
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 | Pennsylvania State University University Park Public | 215 | $67,966 |
| 2 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Public | 101 | $66,943* |
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Private not-for-profit | 100 | Not reported |
| 4 | Villanova University Villanova Private not-for-profit | 95 | $71,525 |
| 5 | Drexel University Philadelphia Private not-for-profit | 51 | $72,087 |
| 6 | Lehigh University Bethlehem Private not-for-profit | 51 | $73,545 |
| 7 | York College of Pennsylvania York Private not-for-profit | 36 | Not reported |
| 8 | Lafayette College Easton Private not-for-profit | 34 | $70,391 |
| 9 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Johnstown Public | 31 | $66,943* |
| 10 | Temple University Philadelphia Public | 29 | $68,389 |
ShowHide the other 13 Pennsylvania colleges offering Civil Engineering
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Harrisburg | Middletown | Public | 56 |
| Bucknell University | Lewisburg | Private not-for-profit | 22 |
| Widener University | Chester | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | Slippery Rock | Public | 13 |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | Williamsport | Public | 13 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Altoona | Altoona | Public | 9 |
| Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania | Shippensburg | Public | 9 |
| King's College | Wilkes-Barre | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Messiah University | Mechanicsburg | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Wilkes University | Wilkes-Barre | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Harrisburg Area Community College | Harrisburg | Public | 2 |
| Pennsylvania State University - Penn State Wilkes-Barre | Dallas | Public | 1 |
| Point Park University | Pittsburgh | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Top skills
What Civil Engineers earn in Pennsylvania
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in Pennsylvania.
Which Pennsylvania colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+
Pennsylvania State University (215 graduates a year), University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus (101 graduates a year) and Carnegie Mellon University (100 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Pennsylvania, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 Pennsylvania colleges offer Civil Engineering.
What is the best college for Civil Engineering in Pennsylvania?+
By graduate earnings, Bucknell University leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Pennsylvania, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $80,231, College Scorecard. Lehigh University and Drexel University follow. By degrees awarded, Pennsylvania State University is the largest, with 215 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Civil Engineering program in Pennsylvania has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Bucknell University tops the list at $80,231. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Civil Engineers earn in Pennsylvania?+
The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in Pennsylvania is $100,750 (median $97,850), across about 15,870 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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