Best Civil Engineering Programs in the Northeast (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Engineering Colleges in the Northeast
Regional list from Best Civil Engineering Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 46 Civil Engineering programs in the Northeast by median earnings of Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art leads the list with median earnings of $108,466 four years after completing, followed closely by Columbia University in the City of New York at $108,246.
Across the listed programs, median earnings range from $108,466 to $65,238, with a median of $87,378.
The list includes 20 public and 26 private nonprofit institutions. CUNY City College posts the lowest average net price at $3,776, while Rutgers University-New Brunswick ranks 30th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art · New York, NY | $108,466 | $13,269 | $3,749 | 20.7% |
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, a private nonprofit institution in New York, reports median earnings of $108,466 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. | |||||
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY | $108,246 | $21,590 | $4,570 | 4.0% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York admits 4% of applicants and its Civil Engineering graduates earn a median of $108,246 four years after completing, placing it 2nd on this page. | |||||
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $105,199 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
| With an average net price of $31,944, Carnegie Mellon University reports median earnings of $105,199 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Northeastern University · Boston, MA | $100,613 | $30,915 | $2,264 | 5.2% |
| Northeastern University ranks 4th on this list, and its median federal debt among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed is $24,750. | |||||
| 5 | Manhattan University · Riverdale, NY | $95,877 | $27,256 | $27,281 | 78.9% |
| Manhattan University reports median earnings of $95,877 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 99 graduates. | |||||
| 6 | Bucknell University · Lewisburg, PA | $95,693 | $40,766 | $20,980 | 28.9% |
| Bucknell University ranks 395th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Civil Engineering graduates earn a median of $95,693 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | New York University · New York, NY | $94,867 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% |
| New York University reports an average net price of $16,977 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 8 | The College of New Jersey · Ewing, NJ | $93,977 | $27,646 | $7,908 | 62.3% |
| A public university in Ewing, The College of New Jersey reports median earnings of $93,977 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute · Worcester, MA | $93,417 | $43,071 | $24,018 | 60.2% |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute admits 60% of applicants, and its median federal debt among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed is $27,000. | |||||
| 10 | Wentworth Institute of Technology · Boston, MA | $93,402 | $34,170 | $27,018 | 91.2% |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology ranks 10th on this list, with median earnings of $93,402 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $92,908 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% |
| Stony Brook University reports median earnings of $92,908 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, and its median federal debt among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed is $16,500. | |||||
| 12 | Stevens Institute of Technology · Hoboken, NJ | $92,609 | $41,346 | $27,221 | 47.6% |
| Stevens Institute of Technology ranks 465th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Civil Engineering graduates earn a median of $92,609 four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | Lehigh University · Bethlehem, PA | $91,856 | $36,931 | $16,917 | 25.9% |
| Lehigh University reports median earnings of $91,856 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $36,931. | |||||
| 14 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $91,242 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% |
| Cornell University admits 9% of applicants and its Civil Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $12,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 15 | Merrimack College · North Andover, MA | $90,714 | $37,927 | $31,710 | 70.0% |
| Merrimack College ranks 15th on this list and posts a median of $90,714 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | Roger Williams University · Bristol, RI | $90,146 | $37,999 | $29,778 | 87.7% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at Roger Williams University left with a median of $26,940 in federal loans, and the school's Civil Engineering graduates earned a median of $90,146 four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $88,996 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% |
| Syracuse University carries an average net price of $38,793 while its Civil Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $27,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 18 | Tufts University · Medford, MA | $88,924 | $39,998 | $11,284 | 11.5% |
| Tufts University sits 18th on this list, with median earnings of $88,924 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 19 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst · Amherst, MA | $88,076 | $22,383 | $10,164 | 59.7% |
| A public university in Amherst, University of Massachusetts-Amherst reports an admission rate of 60% and a median of $88,076 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 20 | CUNY City College · New York, NY | $87,957 | $3,776 | $1,251 | 60.0% |
| CUNY City College carries an average net price of $3,776 and its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing earned a median of $87,957. | |||||
| 21 | University of Connecticut · Storrs, CT | $87,883 | $25,097 | $15,193 | 52.4% |
| University of Connecticut ranks 105th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Civil Engineering graduates earned a median of $87,883 four years after completing. | |||||
| 22 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick · New Brunswick, NJ | $87,557 | $24,406 | $16,343 | 58.2% |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick reports a median of $87,557 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $25,880 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 23 | New Jersey Institute of Technology · Newark, NJ | $87,389 | $16,504 | $10,138 | 65.1% |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology admits 65% of applicants and its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing earned a median of $87,389. | |||||
| 24 | Central Connecticut State University · New Britain, CT | $87,366 | $16,857 | $13,589 | 73.3% |
| Central Connecticut State University ranks 24th on this list and its Civil Engineering completers who borrowed left with a median of $26,000 in federal loans, alongside an average net price of $16,857. | |||||
| 25 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY | $86,794 | $36,228 | $24,078 | 63.5% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reports median earnings of $86,794 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, and ranks 25th on this list. | |||||
| 26 | Western New England University · Springfield, MA | $86,375 | $27,290 | $20,726 | 83.5% |
| Ranking 26th, Western New England University posts an admission rate of 83% and a median of $86,375 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 27 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $84,992 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University sits 27th on the page, with median earnings of $84,992 four years after completing and a median federal debt of $31,000 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 28 | University at Buffalo · Buffalo, NY | $84,868 | $20,995 | $14,668 | 74.2% |
| A public university in Buffalo, University at Buffalo ranks 28th on this list and shows an average net price of $20,995. | |||||
| 29 | University of Hartford · West Hartford, CT | $84,614 | $30,282 | $25,925 | 95.8% |
| University of Hartford admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $84,614 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, ranking 29th. | |||||
| 30 | University of New Haven · West Haven, CT | $83,798 | $34,192 | $27,837 | 60.4% |
| Ranking 30th, University of New Haven posts median earnings of $83,798 four years after completing and an average net price of $27,837 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 31 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell · Lowell, MA | $83,233 | $17,163 | $9,943 | 83.0% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell ranks 31st on this list, with median earnings of $83,233 four years after completing and an average net price of $9,943 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 32 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus · Durham, NH | $82,653 | $23,805 | $16,523 | 88.2% |
| With a median of $82,653 four years after completing, University of New Hampshire-Main Campus ranks 32nd on this list and carries a median federal debt of $27,000 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 33 | Temple University · Philadelphia, PA | $82,553 | $28,198 | $22,694 | 80.4% |
| Temple University ranks 33rd on this list and reports median earnings of $82,553 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 80%. | |||||
| 34 | Clarkson University · Potsdam, NY | $82,387 | $30,305 | $21,335 | 77.4% |
| Ranking 34th, Clarkson University posts median earnings of $82,387 four years after completing and an average net price of $30,305. | |||||
| 35 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $81,403 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus sits 35th on the page, with median earnings of $81,403 four years after completing and a median federal debt of $26,000 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 36 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $81,038 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 27.0% |
| Villanova University ranks 36th on this list and reports median earnings of $81,038 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 27%. | |||||
| 37 | Widener University · Chester, PA | $80,117 | $25,759 | $21,200 | 70.9% |
| Widener University, a private nonprofit university in Chester, reports median earnings of $80,117 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $26,998 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 38 | University of Rhode Island · Kingston, RI | $79,457 | $21,440 | $14,368 | 72.2% |
| University of Rhode Island admits 72% of applicants and shows median earnings of $79,457 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 39 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth · North Dartmouth, MA | $79,051 | $20,927 | $15,976 | 90.6% |
| With an average net price of $15,976 for families earning under $30,000, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth ranks 39th on this list. | |||||
| 40 | University of Maine · Orono, ME | $78,989 | $17,510 | $12,642 | 96.6% |
| A cohort of 58 graduates in the earnings cohort underpins the median earnings of $78,989 that University of Maine reports for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 41 | Rowan University · Glassboro, NJ | $78,834 | $22,408 | $15,305 | 77.7% |
| Rowan University ranks 208th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a median federal debt of $19,875 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 42 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA | $77,608 | $30,434 | $14,709 | 58.1% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus shows an average net price of $30,434 and median earnings of $77,608 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 43 | University of Vermont · Burlington, VT | $77,342 | $19,343 | $11,127 | 65.3% |
| An admission rate of 65% and a median federal debt of $21,500 among Civil Engineering completers who borrowed are the figures for University of Vermont. | |||||
| 44 | Norwich University · Northfield, VT | $75,713 | $22,257 | $15,610 | 74.4% |
| Norwich University, a private nonprofit university in Northfield, reports median earnings of $75,713 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 45 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute · Utica, NY | $75,078 | $14,164 | $7,442 | 81.4% |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute ranks 45th on this list, with an average net price of $7,442 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 46 | Lafayette College · Easton, PA | $65,238 | $34,433 | $12,716 | 31.5% |
| Lafayette College admits 31% of applicants and reports median earnings of $65,238 for its Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Civil Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Northeast appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after they finished. For 1 of the 46 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first-ranked The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and second-ranked Columbia University in the City of New York is $220.
Job market context in the Northeast
Civil Engineering graduates in the Northeast enter occupations such as Civil Engineers and Engineers, All Other. Across those occupations the median annual wage is $106,998, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $84,421. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 7,250 openings a year, or about 264 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 2.6% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing; the market figures describe the broader occupations and are not the same measure.
Related rankings
- Best Civil Engineering Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in the Northeast
- Best Civil Engineering Programs in the Midwest
- Best Civil Engineering Programs in the West
- Best Civil Engineering Programs in the South
- Best Engineering Colleges in the Northeast
- Engineering Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility