2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Louisiana

[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for civil engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Louisiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of New Orleans the best value for a degree in civil engineering in Louisiana. Set in the city of New Orleans, University Of New Orleans is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,172 in tuition and fees, compared with $14,008 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $21,750. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of New Orleans earn a median of $65,119 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of New Orleans admits about 74% of applicants.
Louisiana Tech University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the town of Ruston, Louisiana Tech University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $10,125 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $16,866. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Louisiana Tech University generally make around $61,868. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Louisiana Tech University admits about 86% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Louisiana Lafayette earned it the #3 place for civil engineering. Set in the city of Lafayette, University Of Louisiana Lafayette is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,418, compared with $24,146 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $27,500. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $69,177. Set against $27,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Southern University And A And M College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Southern University And A And M College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Baton Rouge. In-state tuition and fees average $9,922, with out-of-state students paying around $17,272. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $32,162 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of Southern University And A And M College earn a median of $60,219 early in their careers. Set against $32,162 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southern University And A And M College admits about 35% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in civil engineering will find it at Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College, which ranked #5. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a very large public school located in the city of Baton Rouge. Students from in state pay about $11,954 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,631. Students borrow a median of $22,486 to complete the civil engineering program here. Civil Engineering graduates of Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College earn a median of $67,552 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College admits about 73% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.