B.S. in Civil Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Cornell University

Program Overview

Cornell University’s four-year, in-person B.S. in Civil Engineering develops the technical, analytical, design, and communication skills needed to address real-world challenges involving buildings, bridges, transportation and water networks, environmental systems, and infrastructure. The program suits students interested in areas such as civil infrastructure, smart cities, structural engineering, transportation, or water resources, while allowing students to build either a focused or broader civil engineering curriculum.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin within Cornell Engineering’s Common Curriculum, developing foundations in mathematics, science, computing, engineering, and communication before progressing toward the Civil Engineering major. Early engineering preparation includes courses such as MATH 1910/1920, introductory physics or chemistry, and an introductory computing course, establishing the quantitative base required for later civil engineering study.

Year 2: Students build core engineering knowledge and prepare for Civil Engineering affiliation, including ENGRD 2020: Mechanics of Solids, which is a required engineering distribution and must be completed with at least a C for affiliation. Students can also take recommended courses such as ENGRD 2110: Object-Oriented Programming and Data Structures, ENGRD 2210: Thermodynamics, or ENGRD 2510: Engineering Processes for Environmental Sustainability, depending on their interests.

Year 3: Students move into the major’s core civil engineering subjects, developing knowledge across structural, geotechnical, transportation, fluid, computational, and management applications. Key courses include CEE 3310: Fluid Mechanics, CEE 3410: Geotechnical Engineering for Energy, Environment and Civil Infrastructure, CEE 3610: Introduction to Transportation Engineering, and CEE 3710: Structural Modeling and Behavior.

Year 4: Students deepen their specialization through design and major-approved electives before completing a capstone design requirement. Options include CEE 4800: Engineering Smart Cities, CEE 4640/6648: Sustainable Transportation Systems Design, CEE 4760: Behavior and Design of Concrete and Masonry Structures, and CEE 4565: Wastewater Processes and Resources Recovery, allowing students to connect engineering theory with complex infrastructure and sustainability challenges.

Focus areas: Civil infrastructure, smart cities, structural engineering, transportation and systems, fluid mechanics, hydrology and water resources, environmental engineering, sustainable transportation, renewable energy, geotechnical engineering, and data analytics.

Learning outcomes: Graduates are expected to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems; apply engineering design while considering public health, safety, welfare, environmental and economic factors; communicate effectively; recognize professional and ethical responsibilities; work effectively in teams; conduct experiments and interpret data; and acquire new knowledge using appropriate learning strategies.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The B.S. in Civil Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET; Cornell states that graduates of the accredited program are automatically eligible to take Part A of the New York State professional licensing examination and receive eight years of education/experience credit toward the twelve years required for eligibility for the Professional Engineering examination.

Reputation (employability rankings): Cornell University is ranked #16 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026; Cornell also provides an Engineering Career Outcomes Dashboard covering employment rates, industries, salary ranges, and graduate destinations for its engineering students. A current Cornell-specific QS Civil Engineering subject rank was not stated on the official Cornell sources reviewed, so no program-specific ranking is claimed here.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The B.S. in Civil Engineering at Cornell University combines engineering theory with extensive laboratory, design, computing, and project-based experiences. Students can apply classroom concepts through design courses, laboratory work, undergraduate research, field-based activities, and access to specialized facilities across Cornell Engineering and the College of Engineering. The program’s breadth also lets students explore areas such as structural engineering, transportation, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resources, and energy systems through hands-on coursework and research.

Practical learning is supported through:

Engineering design projects: Civil engineering students complete design-focused coursework where they apply engineering principles to real-world civil infrastructure problems and develop solutions subject to technical and practical constraints.
Civil Infrastructure Laboratory: Cornell’s civil and environmental engineering facilities provide dedicated laboratory environments for studying structures, materials, transportation, geotechnical systems, and environmental processes.
Structural engineering facilities: Students have access to specialized structural engineering laboratories and equipment for investigating structural behavior, materials, and large-scale engineering systems.
Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory: The program’s geotechnical facilities support experimental work involving soils, foundations, earth structures, and subsurface engineering.
Hydraulics and water resources: Cornell provides laboratory facilities for experimental work involving fluid mechanics, hydraulics, water resources, and environmental systems.
Concrete and construction materials: Dedicated materials research facilities allow students to investigate concrete, cementitious materials, and other construction materials through laboratory testing and characterization.
Transportation research: Cornell’s transportation-related facilities and research activities expose students to areas such as transportation systems, traffic engineering, infrastructure planning, and mobility.
Computational tools: Civil engineering students develop computational and analytical skills through engineering coursework and Cornell’s computing resources, supporting numerical analysis, modeling, simulation, and engineering design.
Undergraduate research: Cornell Engineering provides opportunities for undergraduates to participate in faculty-led research, allowing students to gain experience with laboratory investigation, engineering experimentation, data analysis, and research communication.
Field-based learning: Civil engineering education at Cornell incorporates observation and analysis of the built and natural environment, complementing laboratory and classroom instruction with practical engineering contexts.
Cross-disciplinary facilities: Students can draw on Cornell’s broader engineering ecosystem, including facilities and research centers spanning materials science, energy, sustainability, robotics, computing, and environmental systems.
Cornell Engineering Library resources: Students have access to Cornell University Library resources and engineering-specific research materials that support technical coursework, design projects, and undergraduate research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Cornell’s B.S. in Civil Engineering prepares students for professional careers involving infrastructure, transportation, water resources, construction, smart cities, and other civil-engineering applications. Graduates can pursue roles such as Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, Transportation Engineer, and Water Resources Engineer, while the accredited degree also provides a foundation for professional engineering licensure and further graduate study.

Career development and progression: Cornell provides several university-supported pathways from undergraduate study into employment, professional experience, and advanced education:

Career services: The Cornell Career Network supports students with career exploration, résumé development, internship and full-time job searches, graduate-school advising, fellowships, career events, and Handshake, where students can search and apply for jobs and internships. Cornell also provides an Outcomes Dashboard with employer, job-title, location, and salary information.
Employment and salary data: Cornell reports that 92% of its undergraduate Class of 2025 was employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation, with a $89,061 mean starting salary among U.S.-based full-time undergraduate employees. Cornell’s engineering outcomes dashboard provides additional engineering-specific employment and salary information.
Civil engineering employment: Cornell’s published undergraduate engineering outcomes data for Civil Engineering reports 34 graduates, with reported employed graduates receiving salaries ranging from $45,000 to $75,000, a $62,324 mean, and a $65,000 median in that reported cohort.
Industry opportunities: Cornell’s Career Network currently lists civil-engineering internships with employers such as STV, HWC Engineering, Toth & Associates, GRAEF, VAA, and Crisdel Group, giving students access to opportunities involving transportation, water resources, construction, surveying, site design, project engineering, and infrastructure projects.
Professional accreditation: The Civil Engineering B.S. is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. Cornell states that graduates of the accredited program are automatically eligible to take Part A of the New York State professional licensing examination and receive eight years of education/experience toward the 12 years required to become eligible for the Professional Engineering Exam.
Graduation outcomes: Cornell Civil Engineering graduates may enter established engineering companies, pursue leadership roles, start businesses, or continue into graduate education. The curriculum supports specializations including civil infrastructure, smart cities, transportation, fluid mechanics/hydrology and water resources infrastructure, as well as a general civil engineering pathway.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Civil Engineering, students can continue into graduate and professional education, including Cornell’s engineering graduate programs or advanced study in areas such as structural engineering, transportation, water resources, environmental engineering, construction engineering, and related fields. The undergraduate degree also provides preparation for the professional engineering licensure pathway supported by its ABET accreditation.