Best Schools for Civil Engineering

Civil Engineering graduates earn a median of $85,813 within four years of graduating, ranking #31 out of 283 tracked majors — 37% above the median across all fields. There are 241 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 15,666 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: University of California-Berkeley graduates earn $108,548 while University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez graduates earn $63,091 — a $45,457 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap. Across all fields, though, which major you pick separates earnings more than which college does.

Early career salary growth is modest: Civil Engineering graduates see an average 0% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.