2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities tops our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools in Minnesota. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $17,214, compared with $38,362 for out-of-state students. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,103 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $65,835. Set against $22,103 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in civil engineering will find it at University Of Minnesota Duluth, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Duluth, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $14,608 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,134 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,044 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $65,175. Set against $26,044 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Minnesota State University Mankato one of the best values for civil engineering. Located in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,572 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. Students borrow a median of $25,234 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $69,861. That is a strong return on a $25,234 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of St Thomas Minnesota earned it the #4 place for civil engineering. Located in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $54,398. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,923 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of St Thomas Minnesota earn a median of $65,183 early in their careers. Set against $23,923 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
