2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Minnesota

[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong civil engineering education at a price that pays off.
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 Minnesota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
For return on investment in civil engineering, no school beat University Of Minnesota Twin Cities this year. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $17,214, with out-of-state students paying around $38,362. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $22,103. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from University Of Minnesota Twin Cities generally make around $65,835. Set against $22,103 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Minnesota Twin Cities admits about 80% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Minnesota Duluth earned it the #2 place for civil engineering. Located in the city of Duluth, University Of Minnesota Duluth is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $14,608 in tuition and fees, compared with $20,134 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $26,044. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Minnesota Duluth earn a median of $65,175 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,044 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Minnesota State University Mankato came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Mankato, Minnesota State University Mankato is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,572, while out-of-state students pay about $18,942. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,234 in student loans. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $69,861. Set against $25,234 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Students looking for strong value in civil engineering will find it at University Of St Thomas Minnesota, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Saint Paul, University Of St Thomas Minnesota is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $54,398 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $23,923. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of St Thomas Minnesota earn a median of $65,183 early in their careers. Set against $23,923 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 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.