Best colleges for Civil Engineering in Wisconsin
Ranked by graduate earnings
Milwaukee School of Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Platteville are the top bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Wisconsin by graduate earnings. Milwaukee School of Engineering leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $72,940, College Scorecard. University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Milwaukee School of Engineering award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Wisconsin: 102, 79 and 53 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 5 Wisconsin colleges offer Civil Engineering and award 294 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 | Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $72,940 | 53 | 67% | $20,167 | — |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public · Bachelor's degree | $71,246 | 102 | 90% | — | $23,250 |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,582 | 79 | 56% | — | $23,522 |
| 4 | Marquette University Milwaukee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,386 | 28 | 83% | $25,376 | $27,000 |
| 5 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public · Bachelor's degree | $64,317 | 32 | 49% | — | $28,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Civil Engineering degrees in Wisconsin
Top 5 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 Wisconsin-Madison Madison Public | 102 | $71,246 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville Platteville Public | 79 | $69,582 |
| 3 | Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee Private not-for-profit | 53 | $72,940 |
| 4 | University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Public | 32 | $64,317 |
| 5 | Marquette University Milwaukee Private not-for-profit | 28 | $68,386 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Civil Engineers (SOC 17-2051).
Top skills
What Civil Engineers earn in Wisconsin
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Civil Engineering programs in Wisconsin.
Which Wisconsin colleges award the most Civil Engineering degrees?+
University of Wisconsin-Madison (102 graduates a year), University of Wisconsin-Platteville (79 graduates a year) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (53 graduates a year) award the most Civil Engineering degrees in Wisconsin, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 5 Wisconsin colleges offer Civil Engineering.
What is the best college for Civil Engineering in Wisconsin?+
By graduate earnings, Milwaukee School of Engineering leads among bachelor's Civil Engineering programs in Wisconsin, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $72,940, College Scorecard. University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Platteville follow. By degrees awarded, University of Wisconsin-Madison is the largest, with 102 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Civil Engineering program in Wisconsin has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Milwaukee School of Engineering tops the list at $72,940. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Civil Engineers earn in Wisconsin?+
The average annual wage for Civil Engineers in Wisconsin is $97,330 (median $94,600), across about 7,410 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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