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2023 Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering

238 Ranked Colleges
21,388 Degrees Awarded
$13,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Civil Eng Schools

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Civil Eng Schools” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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.

This year’s “Best Value Civil Eng Schools” ranking analyzed 238 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Civil Eng Schools.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Civil Engineering

1

Out of the 238 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Provo landed the #1 spot on the list. Brigham Young University - Provo is located in Provo, Utah and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 82 ’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Brigham Young University - Provo is $13,474 for civil eng students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, 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 92%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Brigham Young University - Provo

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Dakota State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Civil Eng Schools. Located in Fargo, North Dakota, this fairly large public school awarded 75 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for North Dakota State University is $16,998 for civil eng students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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 North Dakota State University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Akron Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large public school situated in Akron, Ohio. It awarded 82 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $17,945 for Civil Eng students per year to attend University of Akron Main Campus.

Full University of Akron Main Campus Civil Engineering Report

4

Out of the 238 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, Brigham Young University - Idaho landed the #4 spot on the list. Brigham Young University - Idaho is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rexburg, Idaho. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $6,698 for civil eng students per year to attend BYU - I.

The school has an impressive undergrad 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 BYU - I

5
South Dakota State crest
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota

Out of the 238 schools in the Best Value Civil Eng Schools that were part of this year’s ranking, South Dakota State University landed the #5 spot on the 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.

It costs about $18,578 for Civil Eng students per year to attend South Dakota State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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%.

Full South Dakota State Civil Engineering Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of Wisconsin - Platteville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. Platteville, Wisconsin is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s civil eng degrees to 96 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,565 for Civil Eng students per year to attend University of Wisconsin - Platteville.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Platteville

7

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools 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 65 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend SD Mines is $19,919 for civil eng students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 full report on Civil Engineering at SD Mines

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

With a ranking of #8, University of North Dakota did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. This fairly large school is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and it awarded 47 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $16,966 for Civil Eng students per year to attend UND.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of North Dakota

9

Iowa State University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking. Iowa State is a large public school situated in Ames, Iowa. It awarded 179 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Iowa State excels when it comes to civil eng quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $16,002 for Civil Eng students per year to attend Iowa State.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Iowa State University

10

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking. Located in Edwardsville, Illinois, this fairly large public school awarded 73 degrees to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $14,462 for Civil Eng students per year to attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

11
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking. This large school is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and it awarded 273 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Purdue also claimed a top spot on our “Best Civil Engineering Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Purdue is $13,377 for Civil Eng students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Purdue

12
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school handed out 244 degrees to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UF is $5,135 for Civil Eng students.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 full report on Civil Engineering at University of Florida

13

With a ranking of #13, University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. University of South Florida - Main Campus is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 154 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of South Florida - Main Campus is $8,346 for Civil Eng students.

The undergrad 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of South Florida - Main Campus

14
WMU crest
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Western Michigan University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking, coming in at #14. Western Michigan University is a fairly large school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan that handed out 63 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $20,371 for Civil Eng students per year to attend Western Michigan University.

Read more about Civil Engineering at WMU

15
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas

With a ranking of #15, University of Houston did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. UH is a large public school situated in Houston, Texas. It awarded 96 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $13,721 for civil eng students per year to attend University of Houston.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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 full report on Civil Engineering at UH

16

University of Minnesota - Duluth came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking. UMN Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 69 ’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend UMN Duluth is $18,505 for civil eng students.

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

17

University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. UPR Mayaguez is a public institution located in Mayaguez, . The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 80 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez is $10,975 for Civil Eng students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at UPR Mayaguez

18

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking, coming in at #18. This large school is located in Pomona, California, and it awarded 268 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $14,304 for civil eng students.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Civil Engineering Report

19
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking, coming in at #19. Texas Tech is located in Lubbock, Texas and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 155 ’s civil eng degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for Texas Tech is $16,194 for civil eng students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Civil Engineering at Texas Tech University

20
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking. Located in Tallahassee, Florida, this large public school handed out 98 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $9,946 for Civil Eng students per year to attend Florida State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Florida State

21

With a ranking of #21, University of Central Florida did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. UCF is a public institution located in Orlando, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 201 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend University of Central Florida is $8,618 for Civil Eng students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at UCF

22
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming

With a ranking of #22, University of Wyoming did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. Located in Laramie, Wyoming, this fairly large public school handed out 63 diplomas to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for UW is $11,085 for civil eng students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at University of Wyoming

23

California State University - Long Beach came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s civil eng degrees to 171 students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $10,054 for civil eng students per year to attend CSULB.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at California State University - Long Beach

24

Florida International University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools ranking, coming in at #24. Located in Miami, Florida, this large public school awarded 165 degrees to qualified ’s civil eng students in 2020-2021.

The estimated yearly cost for FIU is $5,298 for civil eng students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at FIU

25
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

With a ranking of #25, Virginia Tech did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Civil Eng Schools list. This large school is located in Blacksburg, Virginia, and it awarded 343 ’s civil eng degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Virginia Tech, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Civil Engineering Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Virginia Tech is $21,301 for Civil Eng students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Civil Engineering at Virginia Tech

Rest of the Best 37 in Best Value Civil Eng Schools

Not only did these schools make the top 37 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
28
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi
29
30
31
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California
32
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
33
34
35
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Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia
36
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
36
NAU crest
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, Arizona

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Notes and References

References

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