Bright outlook
Management
Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
Civil Engineering
CIP14.08
300 colleges offer Civil Engineering. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 300
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $85,115
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,500
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 14
- Associate's
- 25
- Bachelor's
- 300
- Master's
- 199
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 1
- Doctoral
- 138
- First professional
- 2
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 47
What it covers
About Civil Engineering
A program that generally prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of structural, load-bearing, material moving, transportation, water resource, and material control systems; and environmental safety measures.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 14.08.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 14.08.
- Civil Engineering, General
- Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
- Structural Engineering
- Transportation and Highway Engineering
- Water Resources Engineering
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 14 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Associate's | 25 | $70,8504 yrs after · 1 college | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 300 | $85,1154 yrs after · 222 colleges | $21,500208 colleges |
| Master's | 199 | $96,8054 yrs after · 80 colleges | $30,95810 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 138 | Not reported | Not reported |
| First professional | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 47 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Civil Engineering graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · Public · 112 graduates
$108,548
debt $11,634
- 2
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 28 graduates
$108,466
debt not reported
- 3
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY · Private nonprofit · 18 graduates
$108,246
debt not reported
- 4
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 34 graduates
$106,308
debt $18,817
- 5
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofit · 20 graduates
$105,594
debt $21,500
- 6
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit · 21 graduates
$105,199
debt $21,000
- 7
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit · 23 graduates
$103,223
debt not reported
- 8
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · Public · 126 graduates
$101,072
debt $16,667
- 9
Washington, DC · Private nonprofit · 13 graduates
$100,990
debt not reported
- 10
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 84 graduates
$100,613
debt $19,500
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Civil Engineering by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Management
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Architecture and engineering
Petroleum Engineers
- Median pay
- $144,910
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
Architecture and engineering
Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
Architecture and engineering
Engineers, All Other
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
Architecture and engineering
Mechatronics Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
Architecture and engineering
Microsystems Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Architecture and engineering
Nanosystems Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Science
More in Engineering
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Engineering, General452 colleges
- Mechanical Engineering395 colleges
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering387 colleges
- Computer Engineering367 colleges
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering200 colleges
- Chemical Engineering182 colleges
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering130 colleges
- Industrial Engineering128 colleges
Questions about Civil Engineering
How many colleges offer Civil Engineering?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Civil Engineering at these degree levels: certificate (14 colleges), associate's (25 colleges), bachelor's (300 colleges), master's (199 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (1 college), doctoral (138 colleges), first professional (2 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (47 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Civil Engineering graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Civil Engineering earn $85,115 a year four years after finishing, across 222 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Civil Engineering graduates earn the most?
University of California-Berkeley reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Civil Engineering: $108,548 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.