by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 24 U.S. colleges awarded 385 degrees and certificates in Structural Engineering. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 51% of graduates. College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Structural Engineering Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $70,820 one year after completing, rising to $87,870 after four years.
Studying Structural Engineering involves the study of Structural Engineering. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Materials And Systems Used In Building Load-Bearing Structures For Various Purposes And In Different Environments, Including Buildings, Roads, Rail Lines, Bridges, Dams, Conduits, Offshore Platforms And Work Stations, And Other Structural Shells; And The Analysis Of Structural Problems Such As, Failure, Fabrication, Safety, And Natural Hazards.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., structural engineering is a popular field of study, with 385 degrees awarded annually. 24 colleges award structural engineering degrees, an average of 16 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 216.
By level, the 385 awards include 2 associate degrees, 196 bachelor’s degrees, 180 master’s degrees and 7 doctorates.
Women earned 29% of structural engineering degrees and certificates in the latest year (111 of 385). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (119) and Hispanic or Latino (87), and international students earned 72.
College Factual ranks 5 schools in its 2027 Best Structural Engineering Schools ranking, including 5 for bachelor’s degrees, 4 for master’s degrees and 1 for doctorates. It also ranks structural engineering schools within 3 states. In all, 24 colleges offer structural engineering programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Structural Engineering Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common structural engineering credential is the bachelor’s degree: 196 of the 385 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to structural engineering call most for Speaking, Reading Comprehension and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Engineering and Technology, Design and Mathematics, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Comprehension and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a structural engineering degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 196 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 180 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 7 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to structural engineering, at 37.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 37.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 26.8% |
| Master’s degree | 12.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 8.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.1% |
| First professional degree | 1.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Structural Engineering, with an average median salary of $91,612; the strongest outlook belongs to Civil Engineers, at 11.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Engineering Professor, Lecturer, Electrical Engineering Professor and Civil Engineering Teacher.
The occupation related to structural engineering with the most projected jobs is Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary, at 1,297,204.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Transportation Engineers | 392,941 | 1.1% |
| Water/Wastewater Engineers | 383,114 | 5.6% |
| Civil Engineers | 278,890 | 11.7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
Structural Engineering graduates earn a median $70,820 one year after completing their program, $87,870 after four years and $88,477 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $70,820 |
| 4 years | $87,870 |
| 5 years | $88,477 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to structural engineering is Transportation Engineers, with a median salary of $120,210.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Transportation Engineers | $120,210 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Water/Wastewater Engineers | $86,573 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Civil Engineers | $72,457 |
Structural Engineering has 5 similar majors in the Engineering field, which together award 19,471 degrees a year; the largest are Civil Engineering, General (19,082), Civil Engineering, Other (208) and Transportation and Highway Engineering (122). Browse all Engineering majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineering, General | 19,082 |
| Civil Engineering, Other | 208 |
| Transportation and Highway Engineering | 122 |
| Water Resources Engineering | 40 |
| Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 19 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
