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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Virginia

5 Colleges in the United States
$23,815 Avg Student Debt
$70,333 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Badge [Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong civil engineering education at a price that pays off.

College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value civil engineering schools.

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2026 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in Virginia

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Civil Engineering Schools

1

Old Dominion University tops our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools in Virginia. Old Dominion University is a very large public school located in the city of Norfolk. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,750, compared with $33,780 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Old Dominion University generally make around $64,246. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.

2

Students looking for strong value in civil engineering will find it at George Mason University, which ranked #2. George Mason University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fairfax. Students from in state pay about $14,220 in tuition and fees, compared with $38,688 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,812 to complete the civil engineering program here. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $79,608. That is a strong return on a $23,812 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.

3

Virginia Military Institute is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Lexington, Virginia Military Institute is a small public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,046, while out-of-state students pay about $52,638. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Virginia Military Institute generally make around $61,547. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 71% of applicants are accepted.

4

University Of Virginia Main Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in civil engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. University Of Virginia Main Campus is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,118, with out-of-state students paying around $61,591. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $14,903 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of Virginia Main Campus earn a median of $74,772 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,903 median debt. University Of Virginia Main Campus admits about 17% of applicants.

5

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University earned it the #5 place for civil engineering. Set in the city of Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,948, with out-of-state students paying around $37,764. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $25,760. Early-career civil engineering graduates make about $75,151. That is a strong return on a $25,760 median debt. The acceptance rate is 55%.

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Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, VA

Liberty University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value civil engineering schools. Located in the city of Lynchburg, Liberty University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,173. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,414 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of Liberty University earn a median of $45,877 early in their careers. Set against $27,414 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.

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Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 6 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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