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Civil Engineering

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Civil engineers learn how to design the structures that hold up cities: bridges, buildings, highways, dams, and water systems. Coursework covers statics, structures, soils, hydraulics, surveying, and construction management, with plenty of math and physics. You'll spend time doing field work—measuring sites, inspecting concrete, sometimes wearing a hard hat in class—and using design software like AutoCAD and Revit.

Group projects often involve designing a real piece of infrastructure for an actual client, which is great practice for the job and great material for a portfolio.

What you'll do after college

Grads work for engineering firms, construction companies, city and state governments, and federal agencies, designing and overseeing the construction of roads, bridges, water systems, and buildings. The job mixes office work (modeling, analysis, drawings) with site visits to actual construction projects.

Most civil engineers eventually earn a Professional Engineer (PE) license, which takes a few years of work plus an exam. Pay is steady, and the work is rewarding because you can literally point to what you built.

Famous graduates

  • Frank Crowe — Chief engineer of the Hoover Dam; B.S. in Civil Engineering from University of Maine
  • Hardy Cross — Developer of the moment distribution method for structural analysis; B.S. in Civil Engineering from MIT
  • Nora Stanton Blatch Barney — Early suffragist and civil engineer; B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cornell University

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$83,366
745
100–91%
$85,415
1,586
90–83%
$83,966
2,308
83–75%
$87,029
3,124
75–66%
$90,021
3,020
66–47%
$90,615
2,374
47–30%
$92,406
1,592
30–13%
$97,936
752
13–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$79,078
611
400–1050
$83,216
1,205
1050–1130
$87,246
1,811
1130–1190
$86,266
2,427
1190–1270
$87,378
2,372
1270–1330
$87,653
1,803
1330–1390
$90,656
1,238
1400–1460
$96,874
598
1460–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$77,281p10 $98,200p90 Military STEM Non-Research Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–25 Private University 21–40 Private University 1–20 United States Naval Academy · $84,314 United States Military Academy · $84,733 United States Air Force Academy · $84,156 United States Coast Guard Academy · $83,629 United States Merchant Marine Academy · $93,870 Maine Maritime Academy · $127,327 Citadel Military College of South Carolina · $88,884 Virginia Military Institute · $80,733 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach · $87,354 Massachusetts Maritime Academy · $117,114 SUNY Maritime College · $118,448 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · $77,157 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology · $89,394 Cooper Union · $106,297 Milwaukee School of Engineering · $89,758 Wentworth Institute of Technology · $90,759 Lawrence Technological University · $81,625 Bucknell University · $88,296 Lafayette College · $90,802 William Jewell College · $81,280 Carroll College · $79,737 Dordt University · $73,429 York College of Pennsylvania · $85,675 Schreiner University · $77,555 Cal State Long Beach · $98,200 University of California, Irvine · $94,661 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $100,448 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · $80,204 University of South Florida · $80,617 San Diego State University · $96,325 Alabama A&M University · $77,800 Cal State Los Angeles · $99,644 College of New Jersey · $92,097 University of Washington · $93,627 CUNY City College · $90,337 Cal Poly - Pomona · $99,934 Clemson University · $88,941 Florida International University · $88,016 Morgan State University · $73,164 North Carolina A&T State University · $76,389 Southern University and A&M College · $66,656 University of California, Davis · $98,091 Stony Brook University · $91,050 San Jose State University · $106,415 Cal State Fullerton · $93,096 Florida Atlantic University · $83,639 University of Connecticut · $90,694 Pennsylvania State University · $88,456 University of South Carolina · $87,617 New Mexico State University · $87,875 Tarleton State University · $77,982 University of Missouri - Saint Louis · $84,523 Central Connecticut State University · $92,467 University of Arkansas at Little Rock · $80,241 University of Pittsburgh · $88,756 Mississippi State University · $84,639 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $86,717 University of New Mexico · $84,508 Jackson State University · $85,146 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $80,870 Arkansas State University · $74,874 Texas Southern University · $70,163 Wayne State University · $80,725 Fresno State · $93,213 University of Alaska - Fairbanks · $92,380 University of Minnesota - Twin Cities · $82,596 Louisiana Tech University · $79,894 University of Houston · $91,240 West Virginia University Institute of Technology · $81,556 Oklahoma State University · $85,045 New Jersey Institute of Technology · $85,574 Texas Tech University · $93,778 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $98,861 Tennessee State University · $77,156 Texas State University · $84,118 University at Buffalo · $76,516 Louisiana State University · $88,199 University of Colorado Boulder · $86,674 University of South Alabama · $86,917 Cal State Sacramento · $95,595 Cleveland State University · $72,837 George Mason University · $95,921 Georgia Southern University · $78,750 Marshall University · $79,649 Missouri University of Science and Technology · $82,848 Murray State University · $80,761 Nicholls State University · $76,922 Ohio University · $79,566 Oregon Institute of Technology · $84,507 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $78,165 Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville · $83,754 Temple University · $83,575 Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi · $80,963 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $73,986 University of Alabama at Birmingham · $84,553 University of Colorado Denver · $84,339 University of Delaware · $89,307 University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth · $72,965 University of Memphis · $78,233 University of Oklahoma - Norman · $87,595 University of Southern Indiana · $79,193 University of Tennessee, Chattanooga · $90,909 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $74,618 University of Texas at Arlington · $96,344 University of Texas at Tyler · $88,533 Western Illinois University · $82,491 University of Vermont · $78,060 University of Alabama in Huntsville · $77,281 Michigan Technological University · $85,197 Old Dominion University · $84,251 Oregon State University · $89,639 University of Alabama · $86,732 University of Arkansas · $80,071 University of Idaho · $80,624 University of Louisville · $89,150 University of Mississippi · $83,228 Washington State University · $89,281 Boise State University · $79,687 Purdue University Northwest · $82,824 University of Missouri - Kansas City · $83,248 University of Rhode Island · $83,274 Prairie View A&M University · $81,913 SUNY Polytechnic Institute · $73,576 University of Missouri · $80,460 University of North Florida · $82,791 Angelo State University · $82,198 Chico State · $101,629 Northern Arizona University · $85,036 University of Louisiana at Lafayette · $80,744 University of New Hampshire · $83,575 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $79,801 Youngstown State University · $71,919 Tennessee Technological University · $75,845 University of Illinois Chicago · $83,670 Portland State University · $87,595 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania · $79,189 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $80,494 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $80,437 University of Toledo · $76,345 University of New Orleans · $75,130 Bowling Green State University · $90,467 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $85,902 Fairmont State University · $75,328 Kennesaw State University · $86,768 Kent State University at Kent · $78,703 Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania · $81,414 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $88,453 University of North Dakota · $86,788 University of Utah · $82,340 University of Washington - Tacoma · $93,627 Michigan State University · $87,138 Purdue University Fort Wayne · $79,587 University of Iowa · $85,051 Western Michigan University · $80,962 Rowan University · $84,554 Ferris State University · $83,259 Iowa State University · $89,551 Lamar University · $86,351 Montana Technological University · $116,474 South Dakota State University · $77,672 Southern Utah University · $78,699 University of Akron · $77,310 University of Arizona · $88,607 University of Cincinnati · $89,673 University of Maine · $75,894 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $84,162 University of Nevada, Reno · $83,066 West Virginia University · $81,556 Western Kentucky University · $69,462 Arizona State University · $90,992 Cal State Northridge · $88,971 South Carolina State University · $70,557 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $86,109 University of Kansas · $87,039 University of Wisconsin - Platteville · $81,237 Florida Gulf Coast University · $80,720 University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee · $83,381 University of Kentucky · $76,310 University of Texas at San Antonio · $86,096 North Dakota State University · $81,553 Pennsylvania State University - Altoona · $82,353 Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg · $82,353 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown · $88,756 University of Southern Mississippi · $76,241 San Francisco State University · $100,807 Utah State University · $86,663 Idaho State University · $80,173 Kansas State University · $82,692 University of Texas at El Paso · $76,930 University of Wyoming · $76,853 New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology · $89,863 University of California, Merced · $88,959 West Texas A&M University · $81,916 Montana State University · $76,388 University of the District of Columbia · $88,465 Utah Valley University · $92,189 University of Notre Dame · $94,259 Brigham Young University · $82,586 Santa Clara University · $111,831 Villanova University · $87,148 Loyola Marymount University · $101,159 Saint Louis University · $82,559 Southern Methodist University · $92,335 Liberty University · $83,105 LeTourneau University · $82,599 Walla Walla University · $91,249 University of Dayton · $90,774 Cedarville University · $80,322 Harding University · $78,601 Manhattan College · $105,202 Messiah University · $78,254 University of Evansville · $78,921 Rockhurst University · $82,030 California Baptist University · $97,633 Ohio Northern University · $76,866 King's College · $83,735 Saint Martin's University · $92,987 University of Detroit Mercy · $88,565 Mercer University · $84,576 Marquette University · $91,352 University of Mary · $77,563 Gonzaga University · $85,891 University of Mount Union · $79,455 University of Portland · $86,439 Seattle University · $79,928 George Fox University · $85,869 Catholic University of America · $103,238 Valparaiso University · $80,194 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $80,521 Christian Brothers University · $80,092 Benedictine College · $77,373 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · $94,283 Florida Institute of Technology · $87,717 Howard University · $77,997 Syracuse University · $97,093 Hofstra University · $89,910 Quinnipiac University · $105,943 Merrimack College · $88,900 Illinois Institute of Technology · $86,788 Bradley University · $81,861 Roger Williams University · $82,554 University of New Haven · $91,932 Western New England University · $84,648 Wilkes University · $82,269 Lipscomb University · $80,903 Clarkson University · $83,782 Trine University · $77,554 University of Hartford · $85,323 University of the Pacific · $103,144 New York Institute of Technology · $83,036 Drexel University · $89,787 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus · $83,857 Widener University · $78,441 Norwich University · $71,713 National University · $91,179 Georgia Tech · $91,461 University of California, Berkeley · $104,581 University of Michigan - Ann Arbor · $89,983 University of Virginia · $95,518 University of Florida · $87,493 University of Georgia · $85,930 Purdue University · $88,032 Colorado School of Mines · $91,060 University of Maryland, College Park · $90,438 UCLA · $102,084 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $90,751 University of Texas at Austin · $95,554 Rutgers University - New Brunswick · $89,751 University of Wisconsin - Madison · $83,988 Texas A&M University - College Station · $94,808 Florida State University · $86,289 Auburn University · $92,406 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $81,419 University of Central Florida · $86,452 Virginia Tech · $84,707 University of California, San Diego · $91,984 Ohio State University · $82,114 North Carolina State University · $86,075 Case Western Reserve University · $78,380 New York University · $95,184 University of Southern California · $116,779 University of Miami · $88,422 Lehigh University · $90,786 Northeastern University · $94,368 Stevens Institute of Technology · $96,100 Worcester Polytechnic Institute · $93,289 George Washington University · $113,579 MIT · $95,276 Johns Hopkins University · $102,991 Stanford University · $122,256 Duke University · $105,111 Princeton University · $102,762 Carnegie Mellon University · $106,890 Rice University · $94,796 Northwestern University · $100,890 Cornell University · $100,258 Vanderbilt University · $107,563 Columbia University · $96,195 Tufts University · $87,417 Military: mean $95,506 STEM Non-Research: mean $89,165 Liberal Arts: mean $82,396 Public University: mean $84,445 Religious University: mean $86,720 Private University: mean $86,692 Public University 1–25: mean $90,125 Private University 21–40: mean $96,321 Private University 1–20: mean $101,867 All colleges: p10 $77,281 All colleges: p90 $98,200
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Civil Engineering 299 15,501 73% / 27% 5% $86,785 97%
Civil Engineering 279 13,194 73% / 27% 6% $86,143 97%
Architectural Engineering 28 901 63% / 37% 4% $87,600 98%
Construction Engineering 26 604 82% / 18% 1% $88,980 99%
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering 8 343 87% / 13% 1% $99,330 95%
Ocean Engineering 7 155 69% / 31% 1% $87,064 88%
Structural Engineering 4 135 71% / 29% 4% $93,020 98%
Civil and Environmental Engineering 3 78 46% / 54% 14% $99,483 94%
Surveying Engineering 8 52 79% / 21% 0% $82,713 95%
Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering 1 20 60% / 40% 0% $111,831 100%
Rail Transportation Engineering 1 9 100% / 0% 0% $82,353 98%
Transportation Systems Engineering 1 5 100% / 0% 20% $73,164 89%
Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1) 1 4 25% / 75% 0% $95,276 94%
Systems Engineering 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $104,307