by our College Data Analytics Team
[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The schools below stand out for the salaries their civil engineering graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the early-career earnings of their civil engineering graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send civil engineering graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
For graduate earnings in civil engineering, no school beat Clemson University this year. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a public institution. Civil Engineering graduates of Clemson University earn a median of about $89,936 a year early in their careers.
University Of South Carolina Columbia produces some of the highest-paid graduates in civil engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a public institution. Students who complete the civil engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $87,617.
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Charleston, Citadel Military College Of South Carolina is a public institution. Students who complete the civil engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $89,930.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their civil engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.