Civil engineering
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Designing sustainable infrastructure for society
Nearly everywhere you go, you will find or use something designed by a civil engineer. Bridges and roads, water and wastewater treatment facilities and dams, airports and other large infrastructure projects – the work of civil engineers plays an important role in how we live, work, travel and play.
In this program, you will learn how to design all types of civil engineering systems and processes. You will apply your engineering skills to develop sustainable solutions that help people and make life better for all — such as providing clean water to cities, protecting society from natural disasters, improving our infrastructure or designing transportation systems of the future.
Overview
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Build your future
Degree fit
This program will be a good fit if you:
- Have an aptitude in mathematics
- Are interested in solving the world’s infrastructure challenges
- Like to work with a variety of people to solve problems and design solutions
- Want to make communities more sustainable and environmentally compatible
Career outcomes
Current job openings
1,648 in ID, WA, OR, MT and HIPotential careers and starting salaries
- Postsecondary Engineering Teachers
$48,689 - Civil Engineers • Transportation Engineers • Water/Wastewater Engineers
$71,940 - Architectural and Engineering Managers
$122,156 - Energy Engineers • Wind Energy Engineers • Solar Energy Systems Engineers
$67,828 - Environmental Engineers
$77,869
* Career data provided by Lightcast.
Financial aid and scholarship opportunities
Financial aid
Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but U of I’s Financial Aid Office is here to help. Our experienced financial aid counselors can assist you in exploring financial aid options, making informed financial decisions and addressing common concerns.
To maximize aid and scholarship possibilities, be sure to complete your FAFSA. For information on FAFSA deadlines and answers to common questions, visit the University of Idaho FAFSA website.
Plan ahead — estimate your cost of attendance with U of I’s Cost Calculator.
Scholarships
Unlock scholarship opportunities at U of I. Once you have applied, you're automatically considered for scholarships. We also offer a variety of scholarships based on experience, background and academic programs that student can apply for to help pay for college.
Explore available scholarships at our Scholarships website.
Program specific scholarships
- Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) — Get paid up to $20,000 for a six-month session working with Micron, HP, BorgWarner, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in-between your junior and senior years.
- National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology — Conduct research with faculty in one of the region’s leading transportation institutes, reducing the environmental impacts of transportation-related operations and improving the durability and sustainability of the nation’s transportation infrastructure.
- Al Wallace Scholars Program — The Al Wallace Scholars assistantship will be awarded to support U of I civil and environmental engineering students interested in pursuing water and wastewater treatment.
- Idaho National Laboratory Undergraduate Internships — Earn a nationally competitive wage during a 10- to 16-week internship at the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research and development. For students pursuing STEM fields.
- NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) — Mentor-directed, career-related internship programs that contribute to NASA’s mission. Sessions are held in fall, spring and summer and are open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students.
- Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) — Receive a $4,000 student fellowship and $1,000 stipend to work on faculty-mentored projects full-time in any field of study.
- DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE Germany) Programs — RISE Germany offers undergraduate students the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions.
Clubs and involvement opportunities
Hands-on learning
All U of I College of Engineering students, especially undergraduates, participate in hands-on activities through:
- Idaho’s only Grand Challenge Scholars Program - Preparing undergraduates to solve the biggest challenges facing society in the 21st century.
- Senior Design Program - Emphasizing project design with a practicing professional engineer, students work in interdisciplinary teams to solve real problems and then showcase their work at our annual Engineering Design EXPO.
- Summer Internships - While we do not require internship experience, we help students find internship opportunities with private consulting firms or state and federal agencies.
Clubs
Our college offers 20+ clubs and organizations tied to international and national engineering organizations, including national competition teams.
Learn about clubs related to your major:
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- Humanitarian Engineering Corps (HEC)
- Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
- Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
- Tau Beta Pi - Engineering Honor Society (TBP)
Application information
Undergraduate applications open each September and admissions are processed on a rolling basis. Qualified students are admitted and considered for scholarships and financial aid as applications are received.
Explore admission requirements at our Admissions website.