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2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region

[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/other-civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong civil engineering education at a price that pays off.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for civil engineering students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region

2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the civil engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Civil Engineering Schools

1

University Of Arizona
Tucson, AZ

$13,573 In-State Tuition & Fees

$18,500 Avg Student Debt

$59,979 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Arizona earned the #1 spot for value among civil engineering schools in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,573, with out-of-state students paying around $39,903. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $18,500. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of Arizona generally make around $69,655. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of New Mexico Main Campus
Albuquerque, NM

$10,140 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,500 Avg Student Debt

$44,792 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of New Mexico Main Campus came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Albuquerque, University Of New Mexico Main Campus is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,140, while out-of-state students pay about $33,060. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $20,500. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of New Mexico Main Campus generally make around $49,983. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.

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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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.