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2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

19 Ranked Colleges
1,027 Degrees Awarded
$14,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 21,561 people earned their degree in civil engineering, making the major the 45th most popular in the United States. 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.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,367 civil engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $58,694 and $24,331 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,027 civil engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree in civil engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality civil engineering programs that also have a lower cost than 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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Civil Engineering Schools

The civil eng school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#1

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 49 degrees to qualified bachelors’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #5 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $8,418 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Missouri University of Science and Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Rolla, Missouri is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s civil eng degrees to 104 students in 2019-2020.

Missouri University of Science and Technology also made our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #2. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri University of Science and Technology is $10,660 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #3 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a public institution located in Duluth, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 48 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $7,992 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of Minnesota - Duluth

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Iowa State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Iowa State is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 143 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Iowa State is $10,843 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Iowa State

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Missouri - Columbia. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Missouri - Columbia is located in Columbia, Missouri and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 95 bachelors’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

Mizzou also took the #4 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $11,595 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Missouri - Columbia.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Mizzou

University of Nebraska - Lincoln came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Nebraska - Lincoln is a public institution located in Lincoln, Nebraska. The school has a large population, and it awarded 109 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UNL also took the #3 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UNL is $13,508 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UNL

With a ranking of #7, North Dakota State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Fargo, North Dakota, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

North Dakota State University also took the #6 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $12,544 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at North Dakota State University

#8

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

With a ranking of #8, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 40 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, UND has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $11,916 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of North Dakota

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This fairly large school is located in Mankato, Minnesota, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,781 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Minnesota State University - Mankato

#10

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Missouri - St Louis is a public institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UMSL also took the #19 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UMSL is $6,838 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about Civil Engineering at University of Missouri - St Louis

#11

Kansas State University

Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. K -State is a large school located in Manhattan, Kansas that handed out 56 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at K -State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $15,089 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at K -State

#12

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. South Dakota State is a fairly large school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 36 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

South Dakota State also made our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $16,273 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full South Dakota State Civil Engineering Report

#13

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Iowa City, Iowa, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa also made our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $15,073 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Iowa.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Civil Engineering at University of Iowa

#14

University of Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Kansas is located in Lawrence, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 56 bachelors’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, KU has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $15,380 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Kansas.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at KU

#15

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 20 degrees to qualified bachelors’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, SLU has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Saint Louis University is $21,082 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Saint Louis University Civil Engineering Report

#16

University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri

University of Missouri - Kansas City ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a fairly large school located in Kansas City, Missouri that handed out 33 bachelors’s civil eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UMKC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. It costs about $12,553 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UMKC

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a public institution located in Rapid City, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 49 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SD Mines did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend SD Mines is $16,644 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

#18

Dordt University

Sioux Center, Iowa
#17 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Dordt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s civil eng students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dordt, the school also landed the #17 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Dordt University is $22,177 for plains states region bachelor’s degree civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Dordt University

#19

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#13 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Civil Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UST MN is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

UST MN did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Civil Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of St Thomas Minnesota is $26,365 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UST MN

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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.

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