2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Virginia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
Old Dominion University tops our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools in Virginia. Old Dominion University is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,750, compared with $33,780 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Old Dominion University generally make around $64,246. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in civil engineering will find it at George Mason University, which ranked #2. George Mason University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. Students from in state pay about $14,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,812 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $79,608. That is a strong return on a $23,812 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Virginia Military Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Lexington, Virginia Military Institute is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,046, while out-of-state students pay about $52,638. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Virginia Military Institute generally make around $61,547. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Virginia Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $14,903 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of $74,772 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,903 median debt. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned it the #5 place for civil engineering. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $25,760. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $75,151. That is a strong return on a $25,760 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.
Liberty University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,173. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,414 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $45,877 early in their careers. Set against $27,414 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 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.
[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong civil engineering education at a price that pays off.
