2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Kentucky
[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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for civil engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Kentucky
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 Murray State University this year. Located in the town of Murray, Murray State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,900 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,836 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $23,420. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Murray State University generally make around $48,423. Set against $23,420 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Western Kentucky University one of the best values for civil engineering. Located in the city of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,652 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $27,000. Students borrow a median of $22,100 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $60,086. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Kentucky University admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Louisville one of the best values for civil engineering. Set in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,136, compared with $29,482 for out-of-state students. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,503 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Louisville earn a median of $67,235 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Kentucky came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,502, with out-of-state students paying around $34,140. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,625 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Kentucky earn a median of $68,175 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,625 median debt. The acceptance rate is 93%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
