Best colleges for Civil Engineering in Washington
Ranked by graduate earnings
Washington State University, Gonzaga University and University of Washington-Seattle Campus are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Washington by graduate earnings. Washington State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $74,841, College Scorecard. University of Washington-Seattle Campus, Washington State University and Gonzaga University award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Washington: 239, 93 and 38 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 7 Washington colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 434 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 5 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 | Washington State University Pullman Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,841 | 93 | 60% | — | $22,450 |
| 2 | Gonzaga University Spokane Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $74,355 | 38 | 86% | $30,006 | $25,000 |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,357 | 239 | 85% | — | $14,874 |
| 4 | Seattle University Seattle Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,151 | 32 | 76% | $31,900 | $24,000 |
| 5 | Saint Martin's University Lacey Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $71,601 | 16 | 52% | $22,131 | $23,616 |
Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in Washington
Top 7 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 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle Public | 239 | $73,357* |
| 2 | Washington State University Pullman Public | 93 | $74,841 |
| 3 | Gonzaga University Spokane Private not-for-profit | 38 | $74,355 |
| 4 | Seattle University Seattle Private not-for-profit | 32 | $69,151 |
| 5 | Saint Martin's University Lacey Private not-for-profit | 16 | $71,601 |
| 6 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma Public | 11 | $73,357* |
| 7 | Walla Walla University College Place Private not-for-profit | 5 | Not reported |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Top skills
What Civil Engineers earn in Washington
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in Washington.
Which Washington colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+
University of Washington-Seattle Campus (239 graduates a year), Washington State University (93 graduates a year) and Gonzaga University (38 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Washington, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 7 Washington colleges offer Civil Engineering.
What is the best college for Civil Engineering in Washington?+
By graduate earnings, Washington State University leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Washington, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $74,841, College Scorecard. Gonzaga University and University of Washington-Seattle Campus follow. By degrees awarded, University of Washington-Seattle Campus is the largest, with 239 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Civil Engineering program in Washington has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Washington State University tops the list at $74,841. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Civil Engineers earn in Washington?+
The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in Washington is $117,670 (median $110,000), across about 12,590 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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