2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in the United States
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
For return on investment in civil engineering, no school beat Cuny Laguardia Community College this year. Located in the city of Long Island City, Cuny Laguardia Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,218 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,098. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $8,858. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Cuny Laguardia Community College generally make around $31,437. Set against $8,858 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Holmes Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Set in the rural area of Goodman, Holmes Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,710, with out-of-state students paying around $6,610. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,191 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of Holmes Community College earn a median of $32,145 early in their careers. Set against $13,191 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #3 makes El Paso Community College one of the best values for civil engineering. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,274 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $5,314. Students borrow a median of $8,542 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $29,086. That is a strong return on a $8,542 median debt.
Other Civil Engineering Degree Levels
Looking for a different degree level? Compare best-value Civil Engineering rankings across degree levels:
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 334 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.
[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
