Best institutions to study Civil Engineering
Compare 316 U.S. colleges offering Civil Engineering by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 54 states.
Civil Engineering programs report a median of $69,582 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 14.08 and the Civil Engineers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Civil Engineering programs
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 principles to solve real-world problems and improve the built environment. Graduates will be equipped to tackle challenges related to public safety, environmental sustainability, and urban development. Students in this program will explore various specializations, including Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, and Transportation Engineering. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills and theoretical knowledge, preparing students for a dynamic career in engineering and construction management.
Core skills and knowledge in the Civil Engineering program include design principles, mathematics, physics, and an understanding of building and construction practices. Coursework often involves active learning through projects and the use of computer-assisted design tools to plan and design various engineering systems.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $87,790 | 19 | 79% | $36,488 | $27,000 |
| 2 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $85,262 | 87 | 92% | $26,873 | $8,125 |
| 3 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $84,883 | 30 | 88% | $44,094 | — |
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,673 | 164 | 86% | — | $20,424 |
| 5 | Montana Technological University Butte, MT Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,327 | 19 | 58% | — | — |
| 6 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,261 | 100 | 95% | $17,613 | $12,750 |
| 7 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,231 | 22 | 86% | $30,675 | $27,000 |
| 8 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,142 | 376 | 93% | — | $14,392 |
| 9 | Lawrence Technological University Southfield, MI Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,836 | 25 | 61% | $32,679 | $30,197 |
| 10 | The Catholic University of America Washington, DC Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,501 | 27 | 79% | $27,724 | $24,750 |
| 11 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $76,731 | 111 | 89% | — | $21,437 |
| 12 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,419 | 71 | 90% | $32,926 | $27,000 |
| 13 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,362 | 166 | 91% | $18,925 | $24,750 |
| 14 | George Mason University Fairfax, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,822 | 130 | 68% | — | $23,812 |
| 15 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,793 | 353 | 84% | — | $19,500 |
| 16 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,758 | 285 | 68% | — | $16,500 |
| 17 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,688 | 223 | 94% | — | $22,957 |
| 18 | Merrimack College North Andover, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,556 | 23 | 70% | $33,877 | $27,000 |
| 19 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,510 | 186 | 93% | — | $19,444 |
| 20 | Manhattan University Riverdale, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,290 | 105 | 64% | $26,807 | $27,000 |
| 21 | University of California - Davis Davis, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,165 | 202 | 86% | — | $16,101 |
| 22 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $75,153 | 242 | 89% | — | $21,030 |
| 23 | Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $75,001 | 61 | 68% | $32,713 | $27,000 |
| 24 | Washington State University Pullman, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,841 | 93 | 60% | — | $22,450 |
| 25 | University of Houston Houston, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,822 | 115 | 65% | — | $18,000 |
| 26 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,772 | 72 | 96% | — | $14,903 |
| 27 | Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,748 | 53 | 84% | $28,851 | $27,000 |
| 28 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,655 | 128 | 69% | — | $27,000 |
| 29 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,499 | 65 | 95% | $19,452 | $20,100 |
| 30 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,369 | 354 | 83% | — | $19,500 |
| 31 | Gonzaga University Spokane, WA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,355 | 38 | 86% | $30,006 | $25,000 |
| 32 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,285 | 334 | 86% | — | $25,760 |
| 33 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,266 | 29 | 87% | $27,976 | $25,190 |
| 34 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,011 | 75 | 87% | $34,827 | $27,000 |
| 35 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,835 | 121 | 87% | — | $19,700 |
| 36 | Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,821 | 34 | 78% | $36,775 | $24,132 |
| 37 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,584 | 177 | 76% | — | $19,832 |
| 38 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,545 | 51 | 88% | $26,912 | $27,000 |
| 39 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,497 | 25 | 62% | $26,940 | $27,000 |
| 40 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,488 | 58 | 58% | — | $30,548 |
| 41 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, IL Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,397 | 343 | 85% | — | $19,054 |
| 42 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,357 | 239 | 85% | — | $14,874 |
| 43 | University of Washington - Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,357 | 11 | 63% | — | — |
| 44 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,342 | 172 | 69% | — | $16,437 |
| 45 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,327 | 79 | 90% | — | $26,744 |
| 46 | Colorado State University - Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,326 | 105 | 67% | — | $25,480 |
| 47 | University of North Dakota Grand Forks, ND Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,260 | 53 | 60% | — | $26,600 |
| 48 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,178 | 76 | 53% | — | $18,767 |
| 49 | Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,064 | 14 | 76% | $36,137 | $27,000 |
| 50 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,033 | 116 | 74% | — | $20,500 |
Offered across 54 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 17-2051, Civil Engineers, and its national outlook.
Civil Engineering offers a promising career outlook, with a projected growth rate of 5% and approximately 23,600 annual job openings. Graduates typically earn a median wage of $99,590 and are prepared for roles that require a Bachelor's degree in engineering.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Civil Engineering
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 14.08.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 14.08 (Civil Engineering) maps to 7 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9041 | Architectural and Engineering Managers |
| 17-2051 | Civil Engineersprimary |
| 17-2081 | Environmental Engineers |
| 17-2151 | Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers |
| 17-2171 | Petroleum Engineers |
| 17-2199 | Engineers, All Other |
| 25-1032 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Civil Engineering programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Direct engineering activities, ensuring compliance with environmental, safety, or other governmental regulations.
- Manage and direct the construction, operations, or maintenance activities at project site.
- Inspect project sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to design specifications and safety or sanitation standards.
- Compute load and grade requirements, water flow rates, or material stress factors to determine design specifications.
- Plan and design transportation or hydraulic systems or structures, using computer-assisted design or drawing tools.
- Provide technical advice to industrial or managerial personnel regarding design, construction, program modifications, or structural repairs.
Concentrations within Civil Engineering
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Civil Engineering, GeneralCIP 14.0801
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of structural, load-bearing, material moving, transp
- Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental EngineeringCIP 14.0802
A program that prepares individuals to apply geotechnical engineering methods, which deal with the analysis, design and construction of earth and earth supported structures, to the application of env
- Structural EngineeringCIP 14.0803
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of materials and systems used in building load-bearing structu
- Transportation and Highway EngineeringCIP 14.0804
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of total systems for the physical movement of people, material
- Water Resources EngineeringCIP 14.0805
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems for collecting, storing, moving, conserving and con
- Civil Engineering, OtherCIP 14.0899
Any instructional program in civil engineering not listed above.
Common questions
What specializations are available in Civil Engineering?+
Students can specialize in areas such as Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Transportation Engineering, and Water Resources Engineering.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
Key skills include critical thinking, mathematics, active listening, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for Civil Engineering graduates?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 5% and about 23,600 annual openings.
What is the typical education required for a career in Civil Engineering?+
A Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering is typically required for most positions in the field.
How much do Civil Engineering graduates earn?+
Civil Engineering graduates report median earnings of $69,582 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Civil Engineers occupation pays about $108,670 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Civil Engineering?+
Civil Engineering maps to CIP 14.08 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card