2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Wisconsin

[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value civil engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Wisconsin
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee the best value for a degree in civil engineering in Wisconsin. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee is a very large public school located in the city of Milwaukee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,398, with out-of-state students paying around $22,398. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $28,000. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee generally make around $64,317. That is a strong return on a $28,000 median debt. University Of Wisconsin Milwaukee admits about 91% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Wisconsin Platteville one of the best values for civil engineering. University Of Wisconsin Platteville is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Platteville. Students from in state pay about $8,644 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,603. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,522 in student loans. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Platteville generally make around $69,582. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Wisconsin Madison one of the best values for civil engineering. Set in the city of Madison, University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,603, while out-of-state students pay about $42,103. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $78,253. That is a strong return on a $23,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 45%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Milwaukee School Of Engineering earned it the #4 place for civil engineering. Milwaukee School Of Engineering is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $50,480. Students borrow a median of $27,667 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $72,940. Set against $27,667 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Milwaukee School Of Engineering admits about 59% of applicants.
Marquette University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Marquette University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Milwaukee. Students from in state pay about $51,170 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Marquette University generally make around $68,386. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.