Junior civil engineer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a junior civil engineer. Junior civil engineers usually study civil engineering, civil engineering technologies, or construction management. 77% of junior civil engineers hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 228 real junior civil engineer resumes to see exactly what junior civil engineer education sections show.

The most common colleges for junior civil engineers are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online junior civil engineer courses to help get the education required to be a junior civil engineer.

What education do you need to become a junior civil engineer?

What degree do you need to be a junior civil engineer?

The most common degree for junior civil engineers is bachelor's degree, with 77% of junior civil engineers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 77%

Master's, 11%

Associate, 7%

Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 2%

What should I major in to become a junior civil engineer?

You should major in civil engineering to become a junior civil engineer. 74% of junior civil engineers major in civil engineering. Other common majors for a junior civil engineer include civil engineering technologies and construction management.

Civil Engineering, 74%

Civil Engineering Technologies, 4%

Construction Management, 3%

Business, 2%

Other Majors, 17%

Most common colleges for junior civil engineers

Junior civil engineers often get their degrees at New York University, San Diego State University, and University of Massachusetts - Lowell. Here are the most common colleges for junior civil engineers in the US based on their resumes.

Junior civil engineer common college	Percentages
New York University	9.38%
San Diego State University	9.38%
University of Massachusetts - Lowell	6.25%
Ohio State University	6.25%
University of California - Davis	6.25%

Show more common junior civil engineer colleges

Best majors for junior civil engineers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Civil Engineering	74.3%
2	Civil Engineering Technologies	3.5%
3	Construction Management	2.9%
4	Business	1.8%
5	Mechanical Engineering	1.8%

Show more common junior civil engineer majors

Best colleges for junior civil engineers

The best colleges for junior civil engineers are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A junior 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 junior 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 junior 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 junior civil engineers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for junior civil engineers

The most affordable schools for junior civil engineers are University of Florida, florida state university, and florida atlantic university.

If the best universities for junior 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 junior 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 junior civil engineers

The hardest universities for junior civil engineers to get into are Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Some great schools for junior 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 junior 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 junior civil engineers

The easiest schools for junior 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 junior 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 junior 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 junior civil engineer salary by education level

Junior civil engineers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $82,039 annually. With a Doctorate degree, junior civil engineers earn a median annual income of $81,474 compared to $74,271 for junior civil engineers with an Bachelor's degree.

Junior civil engineer education level	Junior civil engineer salary
Master's Degree	$82,039
Bachelor's Degree	$74,271
Doctorate Degree	$81,474

Junior civil engineer education FAQs

What is the best college for Junior Civil Engineers?

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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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