2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in North Carolina
[General Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/general-civil-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for general civil engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools
North Carolina A And T State University earned the #1 spot for value among general civil engineering schools in North Carolina. Located in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $6,813 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. General Civil Engineering graduates of North Carolina A And T State University earn a median of $70,474 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 50%.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general civil engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,500 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $70,540. Set against $23,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $25,000. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $79,635. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Duke University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general civil engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,758. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,296 in student loans. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $83,388. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 6%.
More General Civil Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 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.
