2026 Best Value Construction Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
[Construction Engineering](/majors/engineering/construction-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for construction engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Construction Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in construction engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Construction Engineering Schools
Leading the list is The University Of Texas At El Paso, our #1 best value for construction engineering in the Southwest Region. The University Of Texas At El Paso is a very large public school located in the city of El Paso. In-state tuition and fees average $9,544, while out-of-state students pay about $25,502. Construction Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,819 in student loans. Soon after graduation, construction engineering degree recipients from The University Of Texas At El Paso generally make around $48,335. That is a strong return on a $19,819 median debt. The University Of Texas At El Paso admits about 100% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Lamar University earned it the #2 place for construction engineering. Located in the city of Beaumont, Lamar University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,905, compared with $18,745 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,988 to complete the construction engineering program here. Construction Engineering graduates of Lamar University earn a median of $52,678 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 86%.
A rank of #3 makes Arizona State University one of the best values for construction engineering. Arizona State University is a very large public school located in the city of Tempe. In-state tuition and fees average $12,223, while out-of-state students pay about $33,139. Construction Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,842 in student loans. Early-career construction engineering graduates make about $74,445. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at The University Of Texas At Arlington earned it the #4 place for construction engineering. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public school located in the city of Arlington. In-state tuition and fees average $11,950, compared with $29,582 for out-of-state students. Construction Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,632 in student loans. Early-career construction engineering graduates make about $73,224. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in construction engineering will find it at Texas Tech University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. Construction Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,098 in student loans. Soon after graduation, construction engineering degree recipients from Texas Tech University generally make around $75,421. That is a strong return on a $24,098 median debt. Roughly 73% 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
