top civil engineering schools in california

Last Updated on July 30, 2023

There are a lot of courses and programs in this country for people to learn about civil engineering, but not all of these schools are created equal. There are certain specialties that most programs require so you can focus on learning “core concepts” before expanding your horizons. We will discuss the top civil engineering schools in California near you today – although there is much more than just Southern California to look at. Look at locations like the San Francisco Bay Area, northern or central California and even southern states like Arizona, Nevada and Utah if you want to experience the highest quality education possible.

Right here on Collegelearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on top civil engineering schools in us, top civil engineering universities in the world, top undergraduate civil engineering schools, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

California is a wonderful state to obtain civil engineering diploma. There are 24 schools offering respective programs in California, and the best one is offered by California Institute of Technology. That college offers an excellent civil engineering program: five stars for curriculum and four-star rating for teaching.

If you plan on majoring in civil engineering, you won’t be alone since the degree program is ranked #45 in the country in terms of popularity. So, you have a fair amount of options to choose from when looking for a school.

College Factual looked at 24 colleges and universities when compiling its 2022 Best Civil Engineering Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 3,288 degrees in civil engineering during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Civil Engineering | UCLA Graduate Programs

Top Civil Engineering Schools In California

If you aren’t interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the civil eng degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top California Schools in Civil Eng
Stanford crest

1

Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
4th
MOST POPULAR IN CA
219
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
Any student pursuing a degree in civil engineering has to look into Stanford University. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford. A Best Schools rank of #3 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.

There were about 219 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Stanford University
UC Berkeley crest

2

University of California – Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
334
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
$71,450
MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
University of California – Berkeley is a wonderful decision for students interested in a degree in civil engineering. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Schools rank of #26 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were about 334 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of California – Berkeley get an earnings boost of approximately $6,150 over the average income of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California – Berkeley
USC crest

3

University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
107
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
$74,800
MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
University of Southern California is a good decision for students interested in a degree in civil engineering. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Schools rank of #33 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 107 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Civil Engineering degree recipients from University of Southern California get an earnings boost of around $9,500 over the typical income of civil engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of Southern California
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo crest

4

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
Master’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
195
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
4.1%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Every student pursuing a degree in civil engineering needs to check out California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo. Located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Schools rank of #70 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a great university overall.

There were roughly 195 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the most recent data year. Those civil engineering students who get their degree from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo receive $3,250 more than the average civil eng graduate.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
UCLA crest

5

University of California – Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
180
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
4.4%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Schools rank of #46 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.

There were roughly 180 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the civil eng program report average early career wages of $65,400.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California – Los Angeles

Caltech crest

6

California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
24th
MOST POPULAR IN CA
50.0%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pasadena. A Best Schools rank of #17 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means Caltech is a great school overall.

There were about 2 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at Caltech in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from California Institute of Technology
SCU crest

7

Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
Master’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
$72,500
MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
$17,409
MEDIAN STUDENT DEBT
Located in the city of Santa Clara, SCU is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Schools rank of #59 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means SCU is a great university overall.

There were about 19 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at SCU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the civil engineering program at Santa Clara University make $7,200 above the standard graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from Santa Clara University
UC Davis crest

8

University of California – Davis
Davis, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
243
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
1.2%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Schools rank of #112 out of 2,576 colleges nationwide means UC Davis is a great university overall.

There were approximately 243 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the civil eng program state that they receive average early career earnings of $64,450.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California – Davis
UC Irvine crest

9

University of California – Irvine
Irvine, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
137
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
$58,900
MEDIAN STARTING SALARY
UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Irvine. A Best Schools rank of #151 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.

There were about 137 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the civil eng program make around $58,900 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in civil engineering from University of California – Irvine
UCSD crest

10

University of California – San Diego
La Jolla, CA
Doctor’s Degree
HIGHEST DEGREE TYPE
175
CIVIL ENG DEGREES AWARDED
2.9%
GROWTH IN GRADUATES
UCSD is a very large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. A Best Schools rank of #129 out of 2,576 schools nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.

There were about 175 civil engineering students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the civil eng program state that they receive average early career income of $61,200.

Best Civil Engineering Schools in California | 2022

top civil engineering schools in us

The Golden Gate Bridge, the Hoover Dam, the Brooklyn Bridge, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub – these are just a few examples of impressive civil engineering feats accomplished in the United States.

If you want to manage similarly remarkable projects, you cannot go wrong with a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Civil Engineering. According to the latest university rankings, these are the best civil engineering schools in the US:

1. U.S. News Rankings 2022: Civil Engineering

  • University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
  • Texas A&M University – College Station
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • Purdue University – West Lafayette
  • University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)
  • University of Texas – Austin
  • University of California – Davis
  • University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign
  • Pennsylvania State University

2. QS Rankings 2021: Civil Engineering

  • MIT
  • UCB
  • Stanford University
  • Georgia Tech
  • University of Texas – Austin
  • University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign
  • Purdue University
  • University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
  • University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
  • California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

Student reviews of the best civil engineering schools in the US

Still not sure which university to choose? Maybe student reviews can help you. It’s the easiest way to learn more about the academic environment, professors, and what it is actually like to study at a particular school.

Student reviews of universities on Studyportals' websites

University of California, Berkeley

“UC Berkeley was an amazing academic experience. I was challenged by the faculty and students. The students were diverse. The rankings are consistently high. The professors were accessible. I feel like they want for you to succeed.”

Harvard University

“A great place to be with many brilliant and kind-hearted students and teachers who will push you to be your best self. I was academically challenged, and I grew because of it. It definitely wasn’t a perfect experience, and the school definitely has a lot of room to grow, but I’m grateful for the genuine connections that I was able to make.”

University of California, Davis

“Amazing experience overall. The professors are amazing and genuinely care about their students. I feel supported and know where to seek help if I need it. I feel completely at home and feel like I made the right decision about where to go to college. I couldn’t ask for a better school.”

Purdue University

“The courses are very relevant to my profession and career. The course delivery is by the Faculty and Industry experts and very detailed with real-world experiences, making it easy to understand and apply. Also, the diversity of students from different African countries, sharing knowledge and experiences is very value-adding.”

13 Best Civil Engineering Schools in the World | 2021

top civil engineering universities in the world

World University Rankings 2022: Civil Engineering

  • Harvard University
  • Stanford University
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • MIT
  • Princeton University
  • Caltech
  • University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
  • Georgia Tech
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

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