Best institutions to study Civil Engineering
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, transportation, water resource, and material control systems; and environmental safety measures.
307 U.S. institutions graduated 19,047 Civil Engineering students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 14.0801, a specialization of Civil Engineering (CIP 14.08), and leads most directly to the Civil Engineers occupation (BLS SOC 17-2051).
About Civil Engineering programs
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, transportation, water resource, and material control systems; and environmental safety measures.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Civil Engineering program prepares students to apply mathematical and scientific principles in the design, development, and evaluation of various infrastructure systems. This program is ideal for individuals interested in shaping the built environment, focusing on areas such as transportation, water resources, and environmental safety measures.
Students in the Civil Engineering program develop essential skills in areas such as mathematics, science, and critical thinking. Coursework often includes design principles, building and construction techniques, and the use of computer-assisted design tools.
Credentials awarded
What Civil Engineering graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree13,304 graduates / yr · 296 institutions70%
- Master's degree4,447 graduates / yr · 190 institutions23%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship1,176 graduates / yr · 129 institutions6.2%
- Associate's degree63 graduates / yr · 10 institutions0.3%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate31 graduates / yr · 8 institutions0.2%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year13 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.1%
- Post-master's certificate12 graduates / yr · 2 institutions0.1%
- Doctor's degree - other1 graduates / yr · 1 institution0.0%
Graduates over time
Civil Engineering completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 18,673 |
| 2013 | 19,250 |
| 2014 | 19,211 |
| 2015 | 18,845 |
| 2016 | 19,540 |
| 2017 | 20,012 |
| 2018 | 20,521 |
| 2019 | 21,162 |
| 2020 | 20,870 |
| 2021 | 20,657 |
| 2022 | 19,941 |
| 2023 | 20,048 |
| 2024 | 19,246 |
| 2025 | 19,047 |
Top 50 institutions for Civil Engineering, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CAPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 376 | 93% | — | $78,142 |
| 2 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, INPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 354 | 83% | — | $74,369 |
| 3 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 353 | 84% | — | $75,793 |
| 4 | University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign Champaign, ILPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 343 | 85% | — | $73,397 |
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 334 | 86% | — | $74,285 |
| 6 | California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Pomona, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 285 | 68% | — | $75,758 |
| 7 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 242 | 89% | — | $75,153 |
| 8 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 234 | 54% | — | $70,629 |
| 9 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 223 | 94% | — | $75,688 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PAPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 215 | 86% | — | $67,966 |
| 11 | Stanford University Stanford, CAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sDoctoralBachelor'sMaster's | 206 | 92% | $12,032 | — |
| 12 | Clemson University Clemson, SCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 199 | 87% | — | $69,386 |
| 13 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 198 | 85% | — | $70,346 |
| 14 | University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 185 | 93% | — | $75,510 |
| 15 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 185 | 78% | — | $69,321 |
| 16 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 184 | 85% | — | $73,357 |
| 17 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 182 | 68% | — | $70,721 |
| 18 | University of California - Davis Davis, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 181 | 86% | — | $75,165 |
| 19 | San Diego State University San Diego, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 177 | 76% | — | $73,584 |
| 20 | University of Florida Gainesville, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 177 | 91% | — | $72,889 |
| 21 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 172 | 69% | — | $73,342 |
| 22 | New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJPublicBachelor'sMaster'sPost-degree cert.Doctoral | 170 | 73% | — | $68,288 |
| 23 | Northeastern University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 161 | 91% | $18,925 | $76,362 |
| 24 | Florida International University Miami, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 160 | 74% | — | $66,215 |
| 25 | Auburn University Auburn, ALPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 159 | 82% | — | $68,291 |
| 26 | California State University - Sacramento Sacramento, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 153 | 56% | — | $71,342 |
| 27 | Oregon State University Corvallis, ORPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 151 | 70% | — | $70,635 |
| 28 | Iowa State University Ames, IAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 150 | 75% | — | $72,502 |
| 29 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 150 | 88% | — | $68,031 |
| 30 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MOPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoralPost-degree cert. | 147 | 64% | — | $70,664 |
| 31 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 145 | 86% | — | $67,050 |
| 32 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 143 | 96% | $15,315 | — |
| 33 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MIPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 140 | 81% | — | $72,048 |
| 34 | California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CAPublicBachelor's | 139 | 86% | — | $80,673 |
| 35 | University of South Florida Tampa, FLPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 137 | 77% | — | $70,047 |
| 36 | San Jose State University San Jose, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 136 | 69% | — | — |
| 37 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MSPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 136 | 67% | — | $65,805 |
| 38 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 135 | 69% | — | $67,552 |
| 39 | George Mason University Fairfax, VAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 130 | 68% | — | $75,822 |
| 40 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TNPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 128 | 74% | — | $64,386 |
| 41 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 128 | 69% | — | $74,655 |
| 42 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster's | 126 | 70% | — | $72,606 |
| 43 | Colorado School of Mines Golden, COPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 124 | 82% | — | $70,301 |
| 44 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NCPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 123 | 69% | — | $67,934 |
| 45 | University of California - Irvine Irvine, CAPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 121 | 87% | — | $73,835 |
| 46 | University at Buffalo Buffalo, NYPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 120 | 75% | — | $64,604 |
| 47 | University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, COPublicMaster'sBachelor'sDoctoral | 116 | 74% | — | $73,033 |
| 48 | University of Houston Houston, TXPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 115 | 65% | — | $74,822 |
| 49 | University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, ILPublicBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral | 112 | 62% | — | $69,310 |
| 50 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MDPublicBachelor'sDoctoralMaster's | 111 | 89% | — | $76,731 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Civil Engineering field (CIP 14.08) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 54 states & territories
Where Civil Engineering graduates come from. Each state links to all Civil Engineering programs offered there.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 17-2051, Civil Engineers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Civil Engineering program can pursue careers as Civil Engineers, Architectural and Engineering Managers, or Engineering Teachers. The job outlook is favorable, with a projected growth rate of 5% and approximately 23,600 annual job openings. The median wage for civil engineers is $99,590, typically requiring a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 14.0801
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Civil Engineersprimary SOC 17-2051 | $100,840 | +5.0% Faster than average | ~23,600 | Bachelor's degree |
Architectural and Engineering Managers SOC 11-9041 | $171,270 | +3.8% About as fast as average | ~14,500 | Bachelor's degree |
Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1032 | $109,270 | +8.1% Much faster than average | ~4,100 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Civil Engineering programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
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.
Tools and technology used
Other Civil Engineering specializations
The 5 other 6-digit CIP codes under Civil Engineering (CIP 14.08).
- Structural EngineeringCIP 14.0803385 graduates / yr24 institutions
- Civil EngineeringCIP 14.0899207 graduates / yr16 institutions
- Transportation and Highway EngineeringCIP 14.0804122 graduates / yr14 institutions
- Water Resources EngineeringCIP 14.080540 graduates / yr11 institutions
- Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental EngineeringCIP 14.0802partial data19 graduates / yr7 institutions
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in Civil Engineering?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's degree in Civil Engineering.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills in mathematics, science, critical thinking, and design.
What is the job outlook for Civil Engineering graduates?+
The job outlook is faster than average, with a growth rate of 5%.
What types of jobs can I get with a Civil Engineering degree?+
You can work as a Civil Engineer, Architectural and Engineering Manager, or Engineering Teacher.
What is the CIP code for Civil Engineering?+
Civil Engineering is CIP 14.0801 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Civil Engineering (CIP 14.08). NCES defines it as: 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, transportation, water resource, and material control systems; and environmental safety measures.
How many institutions offer Civil Engineering programs?+
307 U.S. institutions reported Civil Engineering graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 54 states & territories, awarding 19,047 credentials in the year. That is 96.1% of all Civil Engineering graduates.
How much do Civil Engineering graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Civil Engineers occupation, which Civil Engineering most directly leads to, pays a median of $100,840 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Civil Engineering field report median earnings of $69,629 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
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.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license. This specialization accounts for nearly all Civil Engineering graduates, so its figures match the Civil Engineering program page.
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