Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Civil Engineering

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

189 Ranked Colleges
5,042 Degrees Awarded
$41,300 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master's For Those Making $0-$30k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Civil Engineering is the 45th most popular major in the country with 21,561 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, civil engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $60,122 and had an average of $23,807 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 5,042 civil engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 189 colleges that offered a degree in civil engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great civil engineering programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the civil engineering program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Civil Engineering Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree civil eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

Out of the 189 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s civil eng degrees to 177 students in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #1. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011.

Full Stanford Civil Engineering Report

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Evanston, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s civil eng degrees to 45 students in 2019-2020.

Northwestern also made our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Northwestern University

#3

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
#9 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Duke University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This fairly large school is located in Durham, North Carolina, and it awarded 31 masters’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree civil eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, Duke has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Duke University are $59,140, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Duke

#4

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#8 in overall quality

Out of the 189 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Princeton University landed the #4 spot on the list. Princeton, New Jersey is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s civil eng degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Princeton, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Princeton University are $56,470.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Princeton

#5

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. This small school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 1 masters’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Caltech also took the #0 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Institute of Technology are $56,649, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Caltech

#6

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #6, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Johns Hopkins University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 25 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

Johns Hopkins also made our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #7. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins are $59,425.

Full Johns Hopkins Civil Engineering Report

#7

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. MIT is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It awarded 42 masters’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree civil eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, MIT has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at MIT are $56,719, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Civil Engineering at MIT

#8

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida

With a ranking of #8, University of Florida did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 61 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education it offers, UF is also in the top of our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Florida are $30,130.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at UF

#9

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #9, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Vanderbilt is located in Nashville, Tennessee and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Vanderbilt are $50,624, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Vanderbilt Civil Engineering Report

#10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan

With a ranking of #10, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 35 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor are $49,548, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full U-M Civil Engineering Report

#11

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Cornell University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. Cornell University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Ithaca, New York. It awarded 41 masters’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell also made our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #13. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell are $30,042, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Cornell University

#12

Rice University

Houston, Texas

Rice University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Rice University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Rice did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #0 on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Rice are $47,913, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Rice

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 151 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree civil eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, UIUC has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full UIUC Civil Engineering Report

University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Seattle, Washington, this large public school awarded 166 diplomas to qualified masters’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UW Seattle, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Washington - Seattle Campus are $30,294.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at UW Seattle

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 31 masters’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

On top of its placing in this ranking, UW - Madison also did well on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW - Madison are $25,523.

Full UW - Madison Civil Engineering Report

Columbia University in the City of New York landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Columbia University in the City of New York is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 113 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Columbia, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Columbia University in the City of New York Civil Engineering Report

#17

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 227 diplomas to qualified masters’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also took the #11 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at UC Berkeley

#18

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana

With a ranking of #18, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 68 masters’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Civil Engineering Report

#19

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s civil eng degrees to 91 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northeastern, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Northeastern University are $25,558.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Northeastern

#20

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #20 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 66 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at North Carolina State University are $28,999.

Full North Carolina State University Civil Engineering Report

University of California - Irvine ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school handed out 32 degrees to qualified masters’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine also claimed a top spot on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Irvine are $28,456.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UC Irvine

#22

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts

Tufts University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s civil eng degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

Tufts excels when it comes to civil eng quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Tufts are $55,168, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Tufts University

#23

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

University of Maryland - College Park ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s civil eng degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UMCP are $30,885, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at UMCP

#24

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

University of California - Los Angeles ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 79 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree civil eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCLA has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of California - Los Angeles

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus ranked #25 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgia Tech is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 73 masters’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

Georgia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 on our “Best Civil Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus are $31,334, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

Rest of the Best 29 in Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 29 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for General Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Electrical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Engineering Physics
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $0-$30k)

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Mining Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Mining Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Textile Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Textile Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Construction Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Construction Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Surveying Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Surveying Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Paper Science & Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Biochemical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Biochemical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Income $0-$30k)

Other Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Other Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Architectural Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Ceramic Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Computer Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Engineering Mechanics (Income $0-$30k)

Engineering Science
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Engineering Science (Income $0-$30k)

Materials Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Marine Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Marine Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Ocean Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Ocean Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Systems Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Industrial Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Operations Research
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Operations Research (Income $0-$30k)

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Robotics Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Robotics Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Biological Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Biological Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Energy Systems Engineering
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

Featured Engineering Schools

Find Schools Near You