Civil engineer education requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a civil engineer?

You need a bachelor's degree in civil engineering to be a civil engineer. Although many engineers go on to pursue higher degrees, it is not necessary. Engineering is one of the highest-paying undergraduate degrees available. It is important to ensure that your degree is from an ABET-accredited program. This allows you to obtain your professional engineer license. Most of these programs will also include in-class and hands-on experience. There are several specialized engineer ASCE certifications that can be obtained through Civil Engineering Certification, Inc. They are accredited by the Council of Engineering Scientific Specialty Boards. However, to qualify for these certifications you must have a P.E. license, a master's degree at minimum, and eight years of field experience. Civil engineers create buildings and systems to improve and sustain their environment. These structures are built with the safety and health of people in mind. It takes a person who is enriched through education, experience, and teamwork to successfully complete these projects.

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?

The most common degree for civil engineers is bachelor's degree, with 77% of civil engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 12% and master's degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 77%

Master's, 12%

Associate, 6%

Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a civil engineer?

You should major in civil engineering to become a civil engineer. 77% of civil engineers major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a civil engineer include engineering and business.

Civil Engineering, 77%

Engineering, 5%

Business, 3%

Civil Engineering Technologies, 2%

Other Majors, 13%

Most common colleges for civil engineers

Civil engineers often get their degrees at Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M; University, and The University of Alabama. Here are the most common colleges for civil engineers in the US based on their resumes.

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%

Show more common civil engineer colleges

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%

Show more common civil engineer majors

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

6. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$13,620

Enrollment

27,730

7. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$12,424

Enrollment

15,201

8. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

9. Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$9,080

Enrollment

30,795

10. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

20 best online courses for civil engineers

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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

6. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

7. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

8. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,353

Cost of attendance

21,302

9. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

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

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

SAT average

1,512

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

9. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

10. Georgia Institute of Technology

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,465

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

6. South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,149

7. North Dakota State University

Fargo, ND • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,170

8. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

9. Lamar University

Beaumont, TX • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,043

10. The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX • Private

Admissions rate

80%

SAT average

1,157

Average civil engineer salary by education level

Civil engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $77,476 annually. With a Doctorate degree, civil engineers earn a median annual income of $76,928 compared to $69,954 for civil engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

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

What degree do you need to be a civil engineer?

What is the best college for Civil Engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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