2027 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in Ohio
[General Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/general-civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general civil engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for general civil engineering students.
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2027 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in Ohio
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Akron Main Campus the best value for a degree in general civil engineering in Ohio. Set in the city of Akron, University Of Akron Main Campus is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,135, with out-of-state students paying around $20,815. Students borrow a median of $21,701 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $66,820. That is a strong return on a $21,701 median debt. University Of Akron Main Campus admits about 60% of applicants.
Youngstown State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general civil engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Youngstown State University is a large public school located in the city of Youngstown. Students from in state pay about $9,926 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $10,286. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $59,149. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 84%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Toledo one of the best values for general civil engineering. Located in the city of Toledo, University Of Toledo is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,157 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,517. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $70,388. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 92%.
A rank of #4 makes Ohio State University Main Campus one of the best values for general civil engineering. Set in the city of Columbus, Ohio State University Main Campus is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,244, while out-of-state students pay about $40,022. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $23,545. General Civil Engineering graduates of Ohio State University Main Campus earn a median of $68,031 early in their careers. Set against $23,545 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Ohio State University Main Campus admits about 61% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Cleveland State University one of the best values for general civil engineering. Located in the city of Cleveland, Cleveland State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,982 in tuition and fees, compared with $18,502 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,750 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Cleveland State University generally make around $66,295. Set against $29,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Cleveland State University admits about 91% of applicants.
Ohio University Main Campus landed the #6 spot for general civil engineering value this year. Ohio University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of Athens. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,158, while out-of-state students pay about $24,838. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $27,000. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $75,065. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Cedarville University earned the #7 position for value in general civil engineering this year. Set in the rural area of Cedarville, Cedarville University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $37,150. Students borrow a median of $22,110 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Cedarville University generally make around $57,104. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Ohio Northern University earned the #8 position for value in general civil engineering this year. Set in the town of Ada, Ohio Northern University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $39,600. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $25,961. General Civil Engineering graduates of Ohio Northern University earn a median of $68,129 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Cincinnati Main Campus ranked #9 on our 2027 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. University Of Cincinnati Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of Cincinnati. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,363, compared with $28,697 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $24,500. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $71,377. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Dayton landed the #10 spot for general civil engineering value this year. University Of Dayton is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Dayton. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,140. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $26,500. General Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Dayton earn a median of $71,411 early in their careers. Set against $26,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Case Western Reserve University earned the #11 position for value in general civil engineering this year. Located in the city of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $66,608. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $25,190. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Case Western Reserve University generally make around $74,266. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Case Western Reserve University admits about 36% of applicants.
More General Civil Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
