Best colleges for Civil Engineering in Tennessee
Ranked by graduate earnings
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, University of Memphis and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Tennessee by graduate earnings. The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $65,419, College Scorecard. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Tennessee Technological University and University of Memphis award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Tennessee: 128, 87 and 43 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 8 Tennessee colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 352 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 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga Public · Bachelor's degree | $65,419 | 20 | 50% | — | $20,747 |
| 2 | University of Memphis Memphis Public · Bachelor's degree | $64,780 | 43 | 51% | — | $29,750 |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Public · Bachelor's degree | $64,386 | 128 | 74% | — | $21,450 |
| 4 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville Public · Bachelor's degree | $63,577 | 87 | 58% | — | $20,870 |
Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in Tennessee
Top 8 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 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville Public | 128 | $64,386 |
| 2 | Tennessee Technological University Cookeville Public | 87 | $63,577 |
| 3 | University of Memphis Memphis Public | 43 | $64,780 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Nashville Private not-for-profit | 40 | Not reported |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga Public | 20 | $65,419 |
| 6 | Tennessee State University Nashville Public | 13 | Not reported |
| 7 | Lipscomb University Nashville Private not-for-profit | 12 | Not reported |
| 8 | Christian Brothers University Memphis Private not-for-profit | 9 | Not reported |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Top skills
What Civil Engineers earn in Tennessee
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in Tennessee.
Which Tennessee colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (128 graduates a year), Tennessee Technological University (87 graduates a year) and University of Memphis (43 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Tennessee, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 8 Tennessee colleges offer Civil Engineering.
What is the best college for Civil Engineering in Tennessee?+
By graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Tennessee, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $65,419, College Scorecard. University of Memphis and The University of Tennessee-Knoxville follow. By degrees awarded, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is the largest, with 128 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Civil Engineering program in Tennessee has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga tops the list at $65,419. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Civil Engineers earn in Tennessee?+
The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in Tennessee is $103,340 (median $95,910), across about 5,790 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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