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Civil Engineer Education Requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a civil engineer. Civil engineers usually study civil engineering, engineering, or business. 77% of civil engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 9,819 real civil engineer resumes to see exactly what civil engineer education sections show.
The most common colleges for civil engineers are the Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania State University.
There are also many online civil engineer courses to help get the education required to be a civil engineer.
There are certain civil engineer certifications that you should consider. These civil engineer certifications include Engineer In Training Certification (EIT) and OSHA Safety Certificate .
What education do you need to become a civil engineer?
What degree do you need to be a civil engineer?
- Bachelor's, 77%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 6%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a civil engineer?
- Civil Engineering, 77%
- Engineering, 5%
- Business, 3%
- Other Majors, 13%
Most common colleges for civil engineers
Civil Engineer Common College  | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.24% |
| Texas A&M University | 7.23% |
| The University of Alabama | 5.92% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 5.78% |
| University of Florida | 5.78% |
Best majors for civil engineers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Civil Engineering | 76.7% |
| 2 | Engineering | 5.1% |
| 3 | Business | 2.9% |
| 4 | Civil Engineering Technologies | 2.1% |
| 5 | Mechanical Engineering | 1.9% |
Best colleges for civil engineers
The best colleges for civil engineers are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A civil engineer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for civil engineers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become civil engineers.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
3. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
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Top 10 most affordable universities for civil engineers
The most affordable schools for civil engineers are University of Florida, florida state university, and florida atlantic university.
If the best universities for civil engineers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for civil engineers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,381
Cost of Attendance
21,034
2. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$5,656
Cost of Attendance
21,623
3. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$4,831
Cost of Attendance
19,559
4. California State University - Sacramento
Sacramento, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$7,310
Cost of Attendance
19,807
5. California State University - Northridge
Northridge, CA • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,893
Cost of Attendance
18,870
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for civil engineers
The hardest universities for civil engineers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Some great schools for civil engineers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for civil engineers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions Rate
17%
SAT Average
1,507
2. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions Rate
11%
SAT Average
1,513
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions Rate
7%
SAT Average
1,545
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions Rate
15%
SAT Average
1,506
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions Rate
6%
SAT Average
1,512
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for civil engineers
The easiest schools for civil engineers to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, washington state university, and alabama a & m university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a civil engineer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for civil engineers.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
96%
SAT Average
1,139
2. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions Rate
77%
SAT Average
1,123
3. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
957
4. Portland State University
Portland, OR • Private
Admissions Rate
90%
SAT Average
1,111
5. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions Rate
96%
SAT Average
1,111
Average civil engineer salary by education level
| Civil Engineer education level | Civil Engineer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $77,476 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $69,954 |
| Doctorate Degree | $76,928 |
Civil Engineer Education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025