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2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in New York

12 Colleges in the United States
$20,944 Avg Student Debt
$79,751 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Badge [General Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/general-civil-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general civil engineering education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools to find the best return on investment for general civil engineering students.

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2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in New York

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general civil engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools

1
Cuny City College crest
Cuny City College
New York, NY

Cuny City College tops our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools in New York. Set in the city of New York, Cuny City College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,340, compared with $15,290 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,500 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $67,194. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.

2
Cuny Laguardia Community College crest
Cuny Laguardia Community College
Long Island City, NY

Cuny Laguardia Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general civil engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Cuny Laguardia Community College is a large public school located in the city of Long Island City. In-state tuition and fees average $5,218, while out-of-state students pay about $8,098. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $8,858 in student loans. General Civil Engineering graduates of Cuny Laguardia Community College earn a median of $31,437 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $8,858 median debt.

3

Cooper Union For The Advancement Of Science And Art came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Located in the city of New York, Cooper Union For The Advancement Of Science And Art is a small private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $46,820. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $16,805. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $16,678. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cooper Union For The Advancement Of Science And Art admits about 21% of applicants.

4

Suny Institute Of Technology At Utica Rome is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general civil engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Suny Institute Of Technology At Utica Rome is a mid-sized public school located in the suburb of Utica. In-state tuition and fees average $8,625, with out-of-state students paying around $21,215. Students borrow a median of $19,146 to complete the general civil engineering program here. General Civil Engineering graduates of Suny Institute Of Technology At Utica Rome earn a median of $63,637 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,146 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.

5
Stony Brook University crest
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY

Stony Brook University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Stony Brook, Stony Brook University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,931 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $32,741. Students borrow a median of $17,250 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $71,856. That is a strong return on a $17,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 49%.

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6

Columbia University In The City Of New York ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Located in the city of New York, Columbia University In The City Of New York is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $70,517 in tuition and fees. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,258 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Columbia University In The City Of New York generally make around $88,198. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.

7

University At Buffalo landed the #7 spot for general civil engineering value this year. University At Buffalo is a very large public school located in the suburb of Buffalo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,936, compared with $31,536 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,913 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $66,207. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.

8
Manhattan College crest
Manhattan College
Riverdale, NY

Manhattan College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Manhattan College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Riverdale. Students from in state pay about $53,400 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Manhattan College generally make around $83,321. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.

9

Clarkson University earned the #9 position for value in general civil engineering this year. Located in the town of Potsdam, Clarkson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $59,398 in tuition and fees. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Clarkson University generally make around $70,136. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.

10

Cornell University placed #10 among the best values for general civil engineering. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,314. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $12,750. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Cornell University generally make around $80,811. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.

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11

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute landed the #11 spot for general civil engineering value this year. Set in the city of Troy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,078. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $26,979. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute generally make around $74,035. Set against $26,979 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.

12
New York University crest
New York University
New York, NY

New York University came in at #12 for value in general civil engineering this year. Located in the city of New York, New York University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $62,796. Students borrow a median of $21,905 to complete the general civil engineering program here. General Civil Engineering graduates of New York University earn a median of $82,144 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,905 median debt. The acceptance rate is 9%.

13
Hofstra University crest
Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY

Hofstra University came in at #13 for value in general civil engineering this year. Set in the suburb of Hempstead, Hofstra University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,660. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $24,848. Early-career general civil engineering graduates make about $55,705. Set against $24,848 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Hofstra University admits about 68% of applicants.

14
Syracuse University crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY

Syracuse University ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Syracuse University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Syracuse. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,528. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $27,000. General Civil Engineering graduates of Syracuse University earn a median of $74,748 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 46%.

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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