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Engineering: Civil Engineering Focus
Katie Schenk - December 11, 2019
Looking for more information about civil engineering programmes?
By 2025, the civil engineering market size is likely to reach $11.72 trillion. In 2015, global governmental spend alone was $4 trillion – that excludes private spending.
Growth is driven by various factors but follows regional trends. In Europe, for example, civil engineering revolves around a push towards green living and increased safety codes for all structures.
In China, and similarly developing Asian states, a push towards increased social infrastructure ensures continued developments. The same can be said for South American countries.
Infrastructure in the United States is one of the few areas which enjoys bipartisan support. This explains the forecasted 6% job growth for civil engineers in the US between 2018 and 2028. Though this is roughly on par with average increases, the number of civil engineers currently in the field suggests that well over 20,500 jobs will be created over this period.
How much do civil engineers earn in the US?
Across all positions and level of education, the 2018 median pay for civil engineers in the US was $86,640 annually, the highest average salary in the field sits around $130,000.
Take a look at the annual mean wage for top paying industries for civil engineering:
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations: $124,430
- Scientific Research and Development Services: $121,830
- Oil and Gas Extraction: $120,330
- Waste Treatment and Disposal: $117,340
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing: $116,890
Where do civil engineers work in the US?
In case you’re wondering as you browse the employers that recruit MS and ME civil engineers on university campuses, the states employing the highest numbers of civil engineers are:
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Pennsylvania
That might help you determine the best programme for your studies as you consider some of the top schools below.
Top civil engineering masters programmes in the US
Want to learn more about the top MS and Meng civil engineering programmes in the US? Take a look at their rankings, degrees, estimated cost of attendance and the companies recruiting on their campuses.
University of California Berkeley - School of Engineering
Berkeley (San Francisco), California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 3
- USNWR civil department rank: 1
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $60,932
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MSCEE)
- Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MEngCEE)
Stanford University - Stanford School of Engineering
Stanford (San Francisco), California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 2
- USNWR civil department rank: 2
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $101,108
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Structural Engineering and Geomechanics
Master of Science in Sustainable Design & Construction
Master of Engineering
- Take a look at companies recruiting Stanford graduates.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - College of Engineering
Urbana, Illinois | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 10
- USNWR civil department rank: 2
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $50,134
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Master of Science in Environmental Engineering in Civil Engineering
Master of Engineering in Engineering with Concentration in Railway Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Illinois graduates.
Georgia Institute of Technology - College of Engineering
Atlanta, Georgia | South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 7
- USNWR civil department rank: 4
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $50,134
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Master of Science in Engineering Science & Mechanics
Master of Science in Bioengineering
Master of Science in Computational Science & Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Georgia Tech graduates.
University of Texas Austin - Cockrell School of Engineering
Austin, Texas| West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 11
- USNWR civil department rank: 5
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $39,476
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Cockrell graduates.
Purdue University - College of Engineering
West Lafayette, Indiana| Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 8
- USNWR civil department rank: 6
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $44,908
- Degrees available:
- MS in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
- Offers spring admissions.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - School of Engineering
Cambridge (Boston), Massachusetts | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 1
- USNWR civil department rank: 7
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $96,580
- Degrees available:
Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MEngCEE)
Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering (SMCEE)
- Take a look at companies recruiting MIT engineering graduates.
University of Michigan Ann Arbor - College of Engineering
Ann Arbor, Michigan | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 5
- USNWR civil department rank: 7
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $72,724
- Degrees available:
MSE in Civil Engineering
MSE in Construction Engineering and Management
MEng in Construction Engineering and Management (CE&M)
MEng in Smart Infrastructure Finance (InfraTech)
MEng in Structural Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University - College of Engineering
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 4
- USNWR civil department rank: 9
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $73,861
- Degrees available:
- MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
Virginia Tech - College of Engineering
Blacksburg, Virginia | South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 31
- USNWR civil department rank: 9
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $46,050
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Virginia Tech graduates.
Cornell University - College of Engineering
Ithaca, New York| Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 14
- USNWR civil department rank: 11
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $86,876
- Degrees available:
- M.Eng. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- M.Eng in Engineering Management
- M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
Northwestern University - Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering
Evanston (Chicago), Illinois| Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 20
- USNWR civil department rank: 11
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $83,098
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MSCEE)
University of California Davis - College of Engineering
Davis (Sacramento), California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 31
- USNWR civil department rank: 11
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $53,082
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering
California Institute of Technology - School of Engineering and Applied Science
Pasadena (Los Angeles), California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 5
- USNWR civil department rank: 14
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $89,062
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
- Take a look at companies recruiting Caltech graduates.
Texas A&M University - Dwight Look College of Engineering
College Station, Texas | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 15
- USNWR civil department rank: 14
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $40,672
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Texas A&M graduates.
Princeton University - School of Engineering and Applied Science
Princeton, New Jersey| Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 17
- USNWR civil department rank: 14
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $85,120
- Degrees available:
M.S.E. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
M.Eng. in Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California Los Angeles - Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science
Los Angeles, California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 16
- USNWR civil department rank: 17
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $73,861
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Take a look at UCLA Career Center partners.
University of Wisconsin Madison - College of Engineering
Madison, Wisconsin| Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 22
- USNWR civil department rank: 17
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $45,951
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering (MSCEE)
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Wisconsin Madison graduates.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities - College of Science and Engineering
Minneapolis, Minnesota | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 27
- USNWR civil department rank: 17
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $47,164
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Minnesota graduates.
University of Washington - College of Engineering
Seattle, Washington | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 27
- USNWR civil department rank: 17
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $54,219
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
- Take a look at companies recruiting U of Washington graduates.
University of California San Diego - Jacobs School of Engineering
San Diego, California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 11
- USNWR civil department rank: 21
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $57,162
- Degrees available:
Structural Engineering (M.S.)
Structural Engineering with Specialization in Health Monitoring (M.S.)
- Take a look at companies recruiting UC San Diego graduates.
University of Colorado Boulder - College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Boulder, Colorado | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 31
- USNWR civil department rank: 21
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $57,346
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering
- Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering (MSCVE).
- Offers spring admissions.
Pennsylvania State University University Park - College of Engineering
University Park, Pennsylvania | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 35
- USNWR civil department rank: 21
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $54,000
- Degrees available:
- Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Civil Engineering
- Master of Science (M.S.) in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
Columbia University - The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
New York, New York | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 11
- USNWR civil department rank: 24
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $87,335
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Take a look at companies recruiting Columbia graduates.
North Carolina State University - College of Engineering
Raleigh, North Carolina| South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 24
- USNWR civil department rank: 24
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $47,473
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
- Master of Civil Engineering (MCE)
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting NC State graduates.
University of Southern California - Viterbi School of Engineering
Los Angeles, California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 9
- USNWR civil department rank: 26
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $84,307
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
Master of Construction Management (MCM)
Master of Science in Transportation Systems Management
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Viterbi graduates.
Johns Hopkins University - Whiting School of Engineering
Baltimore, Maryland | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 17
- USNWR civil department rank: 26
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $74,642
- Degrees available:
- Masters of Science and Engineering (M.S.E.) in Civil and Systems Engineering
University of Maryland College Park - A. James Clark School of Engineering
College Park (Washington DC), Maryland | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 22
- USNWR civil department rank: 26
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $43,132
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Maryland graduates.
Duke University - Pratt School of Engineering
Durham, North Carolina | South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 24
- USNWR civil department rank: 26
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $79,830
- Degrees available:
Master of Science (MS) in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Master of Engineering (MEng) in Civil Engineering
Master of Engineering (MEng) in Computational Mechanics and Scientific Computing
Master of Engineering (MEng) in Environmental Engineering
Master of Engineering (MEng) in Risk Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Duke graduates.
Rice University - George R. Brown School of Engineering
Houston, Texas | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 27
- USNWR civil department rank: 26
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $67,714
- Degrees available:
Master of Civil and Environmental Engineering (MCEE) in Civil Engineering
Master of Science (MS) in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
University of Florida - Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering
Gainesville, Florida | South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 45
- USNWR civil department rank: 26
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $48,234
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
Ohio State University - College of Engineering
Columbus, Ohio | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 27
- USNWR civil department rank: 32
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $55,152
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Take a look at companies recruiting Ohio State graduates.
Northeastern University - College of Engineering
Boston, Massachusetts | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 34
- USNWR civil department rank: 32
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $44,784
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil Engineering
Master of Science in Sustainable Building Systems
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Northeastern graduates.
University of California Irvine - Henry Samueli School of Engineering
Irvine (Los Angeles), California | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 36
- USNWR civil department rank: 28
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $65,064
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Take a look at companies recruiting UC Irvine graduates.
Arizona State University - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Tempe, Arizona | West
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 44
- USNWR civil department rank: 34
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $48,555
- Degrees available:
Master of Science in Civil, environmental and sustainable engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting ASU graduates.
Iowa State University - College of Engineering
Ames, Iowa | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 41
- USNWR civil department rank: 36
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $44,902
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
Vanderbilt University - School of Engineering
Nashville, Tennessee | South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 39
- USNWR civil department rank: 40
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $57,757
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
- Take a look at companies recruiting Vanderbilt graduates.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - School of Engineering
Troy, New York | Northeast
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 41
- USNWR civil department rank: 40
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $74,306
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering
- Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
- Take a look at companies recruiting Rensselaer graduates.
University of Virginia - School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Charlottesville, Virginia | South
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 41
- USNWR civil department rank: 28
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $50,532
- Degrees available:
- Master of Engineering (ME) in Civil Engineering
- Master of Science (MS) in Civil Engineering
- Offers spring admissions.
University of Notre Dame - College of Engineering
Notre Dame, Indiana | Midwest
- USNWR engineering programme rank: 47
- USNWR civil department rank: 45
- Estimated annual cost of attendance: $76,280
- Degrees available:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
Found the civil engineering programme you want to attend?
Once you've gotten in, we'd love to help you out.
Prodigy Finance Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Post updated for accuracy and freshness on December 11, 2019. Originally published on October 13, 2017.
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