2026 Best General Civil Engineering Schools in California
General Civil Engineering programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their general civil engineering programs.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 24 schools to find the best for general civil engineering students.
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Best Schools for General Civil Engineering in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall general civil engineering education in California.
Top Schools in General Civil Engineering
No school ranked higher than Stanford University this year for general civil engineering. Set in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Stanford University graduates 92% of students within six years. About 215 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at Stanford University in the most recent year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $83,740 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,492.
See the full general civil engineering program report for Stanford University
Students looking for a strong general civil engineering program will find one at University Of California Berkeley, which ranked #2. This very large public university is located in the city of Berkeley. Roughly 93% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of California Berkeley awarded about 358 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from University Of California Berkeley generally make around $78,142. University Of California Berkeley graduates carry a median of $14,392 in student loans.
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University Of Southern California is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in general civil engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit institution. About 92% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 10 general civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of Southern California in the most recent data year. General Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $88,144 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $8,125.
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University Of California Los Angeles is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in general civil engineering, ranking #4. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. About 93% of students finish within six years. About 179 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at University Of California Los Angeles in the most recent year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $78,463 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $19,444.
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Students looking for a strong general civil engineering program will find one at San Jose State University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public institution. About 69% of students finish within six years. San Jose State University awarded about 132 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year.
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California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo landed the #6 spot for general civil engineering this year. Located in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a very large public university. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates 86% of students within six years. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo awarded about 126 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $83,280 in their early career. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo graduates carry a median of $20,424 in student loans.
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University Of California Davis placed #7 among the best general civil engineering schools. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Davis. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 160 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at University Of California Davis in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from University Of California Davis generally make around $81,037. Typical student debt for the program is $16,101.
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University Of California Irvine came in at #8 for general civil engineering this year. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. University Of California Irvine graduates 87% of students within six years. University Of California Irvine awarded about 99 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $73,835 in their early career. University Of California Irvine graduates carry a median of $19,700 in student loans.
See the full general civil engineering program report for University Of California Irvine
San Diego State University landed the #9 spot for general civil engineering this year. Set in the city of San Diego, San Diego State University is a very large public institution. About 76% of students finish within six years. About 160 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at San Diego State University in the most recent year. Students who receive their general civil engineering degree from San Diego State University earn around $79,972 in the first couple years of their career. San Diego State University graduates carry a median of $19,832 in student loans.
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California State Polytechnic University Pomona earned the #10 position for general civil engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Pomona, California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public institution. About 68% of students finish within six years. About 285 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at California State Polytechnic University Pomona in the most recent year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $75,758 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $16,500 to complete this degree.
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Santa Clara University came in at #11 for general civil engineering this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Santa Clara. Roughly 88% of students complete a degree within six years here. Santa Clara University awarded about 24 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general civil engineering degree from Santa Clara University earn around $84,883 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,144.
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California State University Sacramento landed the #12 spot for general civil engineering this year. Set in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public institution. California State University Sacramento graduates 56% of students within six years. There were roughly 168 general civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at California State University Sacramento in the most recent data year. General Civil Engineering graduates of California State University Sacramento earn a median of $79,295 early in their careers. California State University Sacramento graduates carry a median of $19,124 in student loans.
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California State University Long Beach ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best general civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public institution. Roughly 69% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 167 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at California State University Long Beach in the most recent year. Students who receive their general civil engineering degree from California State University Long Beach earn around $73,342 in the first couple years of their career. California State University Long Beach graduates carry a median of $16,437 in student loans.
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California State University Fullerton ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best general civil engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Fullerton, California State University Fullerton is a very large public university. Roughly 70% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 112 general civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at California State University Fullerton in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general civil engineering degree from California State University Fullerton earn around $80,203 in the first couple years of their career. California State University Fullerton graduates carry a median of $13,548 in student loans.
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California State University Fresno landed the #15 spot for general civil engineering this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Fresno. About 57% of students finish within six years. About 91 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at California State University Fresno in the most recent year. General Civil Engineering graduates of California State University Fresno earn a median of $71,093 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $15,267.
More information about a degree in general civil engineering from California State University Fresno
California State University Los Angeles landed the #16 spot for general civil engineering this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, California State University Los Angeles is a very large public institution. Roughly 53% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 97 general civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at California State University Los Angeles in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $73,178 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,767 to complete this degree.
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California State University Chico placed #17 among the best general civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Chico, California State University Chico is a large public institution. California State University Chico graduates 63% of students within six years. About 47 general civil engineering degrees were awarded at California State University Chico in the most recent year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $72,350 in their early career. California State University Chico graduates carry a median of $21,583 in student loans.
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California State University Northridge placed #18 among the best general civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public institution. California State University Northridge graduates 57% of students within six years. California State University Northridge awarded about 88 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $74,430 in their early career. California State University Northridge graduates carry a median of $18,732 in student loans.
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San Francisco State University earned the #19 position for general civil engineering this year. Set in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 50%. There were roughly 66 general civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at San Francisco State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general civil engineering degree from San Francisco State University earn around $68,256 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $18,873.
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Loyola Marymount University came in at #20 for general civil engineering this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 79% of students complete a degree within six years here. Loyola Marymount University awarded about 29 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their general civil engineering degree from Loyola Marymount University earn around $87,790 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
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University Of The Pacific landed the #21 spot for general civil engineering this year. University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Stockton. About 68% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 12 general civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of The Pacific in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $77,022 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in general civil engineering from University Of The Pacific
California Baptist University came in at #22 for general civil engineering this year. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Riverside. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. California Baptist University awarded about 23 general civil engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the general civil engineering program make about $73,497 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,000.
More information about a degree in general civil engineering from California Baptist University
More General Civil Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 24 schools evaluated.
- 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.
