2026 Best Value Construction Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
[Construction Engineering](/majors/engineering/construction-engineering/construction-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 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for construction engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Construction Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in construction engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Construction Engineering Schools
The University Of Texas At El Paso tops our 2026 list of the best value construction engineering schools in the Southwest Region. The University Of Texas At El Paso is a very large public school located in the city of El Paso. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,544, with out-of-state students paying around $25,502. Construction Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,819 in student loans. Construction Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At El Paso earn a median of $48,335 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,819 median debt. The acceptance rate is 100%.
A rank of #2 makes Lamar University one of the best values for construction engineering. Lamar University is a very large public school located in the city of Beaumont. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,905, with out-of-state students paying around $18,745. Typical student debt for construction engineering graduates is $26,988. Early-career construction engineering graduates make about $52,678. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lamar University admits about 86% of applicants.
Arizona State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in construction engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Tempe, Arizona State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, compared with $33,139 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction engineering graduates is $21,842. Soon after graduation, construction engineering degree recipients from Arizona State University generally make around $74,445. That is a strong return on a $21,842 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Arlington earned it the #4 place for construction engineering. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public school located in the city of Arlington. In-state tuition and fees average $11,950, with out-of-state students paying around $29,582. Students borrow a median of $21,632 to complete the construction engineering program here. Construction Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At Arlington earn a median of $73,224 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Texas Tech University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in construction engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, compared with $24,157 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for construction engineering graduates is $24,098. Early-career construction engineering graduates make about $75,421. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas Tech University admits about 73% of applicants.
Narrow Construction Engineering Schools by State
More Construction Engineering Rankings
View All Construction Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
