2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Michigan

[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for civil engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Michigan
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 University Of Michigan Ann Arbor this year. Set in the city of Ann Arbor, University Of Michigan Ann Arbor is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $18,848, while out-of-state students pay about $63,081. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of Michigan Ann Arbor generally make around $73,722. That is a strong return on a $18,750 median debt. Roughly 16% of applicants are accepted.
Wayne State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the city of Detroit, Wayne State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,159, while out-of-state students pay about $34,650. Students borrow a median of $30,548 to complete the civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Wayne State University generally make around $76,348. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 81%.
Michigan Technological University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the town of Houghton, Michigan Technological University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $20,532, with out-of-state students paying around $44,807. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $26,000. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $74,872. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Michigan Technological University admits about 92% of applicants.
Western Michigan University came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Kalamazoo, Western Michigan University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,987, compared with $19,952 for out-of-state students. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $29,156 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $69,706. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Michigan State University earned it the #5 place for civil engineering. Set in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $18,079, compared with $44,850 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $27,000. Civil Engineering graduates of Michigan State University earn a median of $72,048 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 85% of applicants are accepted.
Lawrence Technological University came in at #6 for value in civil engineering this year. Set in the city of Southfield, Lawrence Technological University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $44,760. Students borrow a median of $30,197 to complete the civil engineering program here. Civil Engineering graduates of Lawrence Technological University earn a median of $77,836 early in their careers. Set against $30,197 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lawrence Technological University admits about 56% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.