2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Indiana
[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for civil engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Indiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Purdue University Northwest the best value for a degree in civil engineering in Indiana. Set in the suburb of Hammond, Purdue University Northwest is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,357 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $15,504. Students borrow a median of $28,250 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $69,339. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for civil engineering. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Students from in state pay about $9,992 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $76,547. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in civil engineering will find it at University Of Southern Indiana, which ranked #3. University Of Southern Indiana is a large public school located in the suburb of Evansville. Students from in state pay about $10,066 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,907. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,999 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $47,216. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earned it the #4 place for civil engineering. Set in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,532, compared with $22,887 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $24,119. Civil Engineering graduates of Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne earn a median of $49,424 early in their careers. Set against $24,119 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
Valparaiso University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Valparaiso, Valparaiso University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $48,450. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Valparaiso University generally make around $69,549. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Valparaiso University admits about 89% of applicants.
Trine University came in at #6 for value in civil engineering this year. Set in the town of Angola, Trine University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $36,560 in tuition and fees. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $65,700. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Trine University admits about 86% of applicants.
University Of Notre Dame ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $65,025. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,100 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $74,499. Set against $20,100 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology placed #8 among the best values for civil engineering. Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Terre Haute. Students from in state pay about $56,046 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $24,132. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology generally make around $73,821. Set against $24,132 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology admits about 77% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
