College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

18 Ranked Colleges
1,301 Degrees Awarded
$13,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 21,388 people earned their degree in civil engineering, making the major the 50th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, civil engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $63,364 and had an average of $24,364 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 1,301 civil engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,656 and $25,759 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer 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.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the civil engineering program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Civil Engineering Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Civil Eng Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 18 Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s civil eng degrees to 97 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also took the #1 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is $8,609 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school handed out 168 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Missouri University of Science and Technology, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology is $9,820 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Missouri University of Science and Technology Civil Engineering Report

2

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Iowa State University landed the #2 spot on the list. Ames, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s civil eng degrees to 179 students in 2020-2021.

Iowa State also took the #2 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa State is $11,427 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Iowa State

4

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Duluth landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Duluth is a medium-sized public school situated in Duluth, Minnesota. It awarded 69 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

UMN Duluth did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Duluth is $8,697 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UMN Duluth

5

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 in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. Columbia, Missouri is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s civil eng degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.

Mizzou not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Mizzou is $11,386 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Mizzou

6

North Dakota State University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 75 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

North Dakota State University also took the #7 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus is $12,735 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at North Dakota State University

7

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it awarded 130 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

UNL not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Nebraska - Lincoln is $13,453 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UNL

8
UND crest
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota

University of North Dakota landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of North Dakota is a fairly large public school situated in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It awarded 47 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

UND did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend University of North Dakota is $13,151 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at University of North Dakota

9

With a ranking of #9, University of Missouri - St Louis did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMSL, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $8,324 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of Missouri - St Louis

10
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s civil eng degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Iowa, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Iowa is $15,508 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of Iowa

11
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas

University of Kansas landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Kansas is a large public school situated in Lawrence, Kansas. It awarded 79 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at KU, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $16,288 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend KU.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at University of Kansas

12
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. K -State is located in Manhattan, Kansas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 64 ’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at K -State, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend K -State is $14,653 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at K -State

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Missouri - Kansas City did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Missouri - Kansas City is a public institution located in Kansas City, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 39 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UMKC also took the #15 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $13,751 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMKC.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Missouri - Kansas City Civil Engineering Report

14

With a ranking of #14, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. SD Mines is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 65 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

SD Mines also took the #10 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is $16,736 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

15

Minnesota State University - Mankato landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 30 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Minnesota State Mankato has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State Mankato is $12,263 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato Civil Engineering Report

16
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

With a ranking of #16, South Dakota State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. South Dakota State University is a public institution located in Brookings, South Dakota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 45 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

South Dakota State also made our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for South Dakota State University is $14,846 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at South Dakota State

17
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 18 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

SLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Louis University is $16,755 for Plains States Region Civil Eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate 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. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at SLU

18
Dordt crest
Dordt University
Sioux Center, Iowa

Dordt University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 13 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Dordt, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Dordt is $20,101 for plains states region civil eng students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Dordt University

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Best Value Colleges for General Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Agricultural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Agricultural Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Biomedical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biomedical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Chemical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Electrical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Electrical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Engineering Physics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Physics (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Environmental Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Mechanical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mechanical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Mining Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Mining Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Petroleum Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Petroleum Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Construction Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Construction Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Manufacturing Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Geoscience Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Geoscience Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Best Value Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering. (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Architectural Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Architectural Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Ceramic Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Ceramic Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Computer Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Computer Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Engineering Mechanics
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Mechanics (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Engineering Science
Best Value Colleges for Engineering Science (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Materials Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Materials Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Metallurgical Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Nuclear Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Nuclear Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Systems Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Systems Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Industrial Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Industrial Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Operations Research
Best Value Colleges for Operations Research (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Biological Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Biological Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Other Engineering
Best Value Colleges for Other Engineering (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options