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2024 Best Civil Engineering Schools

238 Colleges in the United States
21,388 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$63,364 Avg Early-Career Salary
A degree in civil engineering is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #50 out of 395 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

College Factual reviewed 238 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of civil engineering. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 21,388 degrees in civil engineering during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Civil Engineering School

Best Civil Engineering Schools Your choice of civil engineering school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for civil engineering schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Civil Engineering Rankings by Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in Civil Eng
Master's Degrees in Civil Eng
Doctor's Degrees in Civil Eng

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Civil Engineering Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for Civil Engineering in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of civil eng degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Civil Eng

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
176 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$78,911 Median Starting Salary

Stanford University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in civil engineering. Stanford is a large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.

There were about 176 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent data year. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from Stanford University earn $15,547 more than the standard civil eng grad.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Stanford University

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
45 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$80,199 Median Starting Salary

It is hard to beat Massachusetts Institute of Technology if you want to pursue a degree in civil engineering. Located in the city of Cambridge, MIT is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means MIT is a great school overall.

There were about 45 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at MIT in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn a boost of about $16,835 over the average earnings of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$78,636 Median Starting Salary

It is hard to beat University of Southern California if you wish to pursue a degree in civil engineering. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were approximately 84 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Southern California receive an earnings boost of about $15,272 above the typical income of civil engineering majors.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Southern California

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
147 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$75,497 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in civil engineering needs to check out Columbia University in the City of New York. Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 147 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the civil engineering degree program at Columbia University in the City of New York earn $12,133 more than the average graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Columbia University in the City of New York

5
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
4th Most Popular In IL
72 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded

Northwestern is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were about 72 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Northwestern University

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
320 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$70,459 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Seattle, UW Seattle is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 51 colleges for overall quality in the state of Washington.

There were about 320 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UW Seattle in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Washington - Seattle Campus get an earnings boost of about $7,095 above the typical income of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Washington - Seattle Campus

7
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
67 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$67,169 Median Starting Salary

Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means Notre Dame is a great university overall.

There were about 67 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Notre Dame receive an earnings boost of approximately $3,805 over the average income of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Notre Dame

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
160 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$67,329 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 6th out of 170 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 160 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from University of California - Los Angeles earn $3,965 more than the average civil eng student.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California - Los Angeles

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
294 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$71,918 Median Starting Salary

UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #10 out of 2,238 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were roughly 294 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the civil engineering major at University of California - Berkeley get $8,554 more than the typical graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California - Berkeley

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
243 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$68,802 Median Starting Salary

Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 11th out of 170 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 243 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from University of California - Davis receive $5,438 more than the standard civil eng graduate.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California - Davis

11
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, TX
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
12th Most Popular In TX
11.5% Growth in Graduates

Rice is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Houston. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Rice is a great university overall.

There were about 26 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Rice in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Rice University

12
Duke crest
Duke University
Durham, NC
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
3rd Most Popular In NC
49 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded

Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were about 49 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Duke University

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
125 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
19.2% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were about 125 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent data year. Civil Engineering degree recipients from Carnegie Mellon University earn a boost of approximately $4,114 over the average earnings of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University

14
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
343 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
5.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. This school ranks 2nd out of 65 colleges for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 343 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Virginia Tech in the most recent data year. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from Virginia Tech earn $3,712 more than the typical civil eng student.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
98 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
15.3% Growth in Graduates

U-M is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor. A Best Colleges rank of #20 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means U-M is a great university overall.

There were approximately 98 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent data year. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor get an earnings boost of about $4,246 above the typical earnings of civil engineering majors.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
206 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$68,610 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Tech is a public school with a very large student population. This school ranks 1st out of 68 schools for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were about 206 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Georgia Tech in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus earn a boost of about $5,246 over the typical earnings of civil engineering majors.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

17
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
214 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
8.9% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 16th out of 170 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 214 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the most recent year we have data available. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo earn $11,577 more than the standard civil eng student.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
403 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
8.9% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 87 schools for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were roughly 403 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receive an earnings boost of about $3,817 over the average earnings of civil engineering majors.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

19
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
386 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
0.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the midsize city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 116 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 386 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from Texas A&M University - College Station get an earnings boost of approximately $4,232 over the average earnings of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Texas A&M University - College Station

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
61 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
16.4% Growth in Graduates

University of Virginia is a very large public university located in the suburb of Charlottesville. This university ranks 1st out of 65 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 61 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Virginia - Main Campus get an earnings boost of about $6,865 over the typical income of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Virginia - Main Campus

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
273 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
3.7% Growth in Graduates

Purdue is a very large public university located in the small city of West Lafayette. This university ranks 2nd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were approximately 273 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Purdue in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the civil engineering degree program at Purdue University - Main Campus make $3,732 more than the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Purdue University - Main Campus

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
192 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
8.9% Growth in Graduates

UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. This university ranks 8th out of 170 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were approximately 192 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of California - San Diego receive an earnings boost of about $7,671 above the average earnings of civil engineering majors.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California - San Diego

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
214 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$68,278 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 116 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were approximately 214 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year. Civil Engineering degree recipients from The University of Texas at Austin earn a boost of approximately $4,914 above the average earnings of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin

24
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
52 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded
$67,056 Median Starting Salary

WPI is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in the midsize city of Worcester. This school ranks 4th out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Massachusetts.

There were roughly 52 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at WPI in the most recent year we have data available. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute make $3,692 more than the average civil eng grad.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute

25
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
5th Most Popular In NJ
47 Civil Eng Degrees Awarded

Princeton is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the city of Princeton. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,238 colleges nationwide means Princeton is a great university overall.

There were approximately 47 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Princeton in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Princeton University

Rest of the Top Best Civil Engineering Schools

25
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
26
27
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
28
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
29
30
31

32

33
34
Villanova crest
Villanova University
Villanova, PA
35

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Civil Engineering students that almost earned our Best Civil Engineering Schools award.

Rank College Location
36 Iowa State University Ames, IA
37 Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA
38 Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO
39 Northeastern University Boston, MA
40 University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
41 University of Connecticut Storrs, CT
42 Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ
43 Clemson University Clemson, SC
44 New York University New York, NY
45 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
46 University of California - Irvine Irvine, CA
47 University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA

Civil Engineering by Region

View the Best Civil Engineering Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

One of 41 majors within the Engineering area of study, Civil Engineering has other similar majors worth exploring.

Civil Eng Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
General Civil Engineering 20,711
Structural Engineering 332
Trasportation Engineering 131
Civil Engineering 131
Water Resources Engineering 71
Geoenvironmental Engineering 12

View All Civil Eng Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Mechanical Engineering 46,178
Electrical Engineering 28,844
Computer Engineering 17,987
Chemical Engineering 12,917
Biomedical Engineering 12,811
General Engineering 11,796
Industrial Engineering 9,072
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering 8,001
Systems Engineering 3,904
Materials Engineering 3,415

View All Civil Eng Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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