Best Civil Engineering Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
21
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$523,940
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$35,490
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
San Jose State University
Grad rate: 66.2% |
+$703,680 | $82,323 | $25,695 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Grad rate: 85.3% |
+$669,435 | $82,834 | $29,918 | $20,424 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
California State University-Chico
Grad rate: 63.9% |
+$614,662 | $79,308 | $25,590 | $21,583 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Santa Clara University
Grad rate: 88.5% |
+$609,868 | $88,047 | $77,768 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
+$579,398 | $80,483 | $42,708 | $14,392 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
+$572,758 | $79,279 | $36,643 | $19,444 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of California-Davis
Grad rate: 85.7% |
+$535,795 | $77,490 | $38,067 | $16,101 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
San Francisco State University
Grad rate: 52.2% |
+$535,009 | $75,076 | $25,258 | $18,873 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Grad rate: 66.5% |
+$531,377 | $74,217 | $22,672 | $16,500 | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$529,939 | $85,981 | $84,678 | $8,125 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University-Sacramento
Grad rate: 55.1% |
+$521,526 | $73,910 | $22,714 | $19,124 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
California State University-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 52.0% |
+$513,472 | $72,371 | $17,153 | $18,767 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California State University-Long Beach
Grad rate: 71.3% |
+$507,970 | $72,570 | $20,310 | $16,437 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
+$507,062 | $71,621 | $16,767 | $13,548 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
California State University-Fresno
Grad rate: 55.5% |
+$498,589 | $71,690 | $18,650 | $15,267 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Civil Engineering Degrees by State
Browse Civil Engineering programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.