2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in Indiana
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general civil engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools
For return on investment in general civil engineering, no school beat Purdue University Northwest this year. Located in the suburb of Hammond, Purdue University Northwest is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,357 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $15,504. Students borrow a median of $28,250 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Purdue University Northwest generally make around $69,339. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Purdue University Main Campus earned it the #2 place for general civil engineering. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,992, while out-of-state students pay about $28,794. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $76,547. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 50%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Southern Indiana one of the best values for general civil engineering. University Of Southern Indiana is a large public school located in the suburb of Evansville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,066, while out-of-state students pay about $22,907. Students borrow a median of $21,999 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general 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 general civil engineering. Located in the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,532, compared with $22,887 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $24,119. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $49,424. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 84% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes Valparaiso University one of the best values for general civil engineering. 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. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $69,549. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Trine University earned the #6 position for value in general civil engineering this year. Set in the town of Angola, Trine University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $36,560. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Trine University generally make around $65,700. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of Notre Dame landed the #7 spot for general civil engineering value this year. Set in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,025. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $20,100. General Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Notre Dame earn a median of $74,499 early in their careers. Set against $20,100 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology earned the #8 position for value in general civil engineering this year. Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Terre Haute. In-state tuition and fees average $56,046. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,132 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology generally make around $73,821. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 77%.
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 · 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.
[General Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/general-civil-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
