Approved by the Committee on Education on April 17, 2024
Approved by the Public Policy Committee on May 15, 2024
Adopted by the Board of Direction on July 18, 2024

Policy

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) believes that robust public funding by state governments for higher education - at the undergraduate and graduate levels - is in the best interest of the states and the nation. ASCE believes that access to higher education for all Americans is more important than ever. Access to higher education is essential for civil engineering to advance state and national interests. Furthermore, broader access to higher education facilitates the civil engineering profession’s ability to draw from a larger population that reflects our nation’s diversity.

Issue 

State funding has traditionally been a vital pillar of financial support for higher education. In the academic year 2019-20, approximately 31% of full-time, in-state students attending public four-year colleges received adequate grant aid to cover their tuition and fees. Notably, this assistance extended to 64% of students from families earning less than $40,000 annually and 9% from families with incomes exceeding $120,000. The period spanning 2021-2022 marked the tenth consecutive year of increased state and local funding per student. Remarkably, funding per student surged to $10,240 in 2020-2021, representing the highest level since 1999-2000. However, despite these upward trends, challenges persist as nearly half (49%) of bachelor’s degree recipients from public four-year institutions graduated with an average federal debt of $20,700 per borrower1. It underscores the importance of maintaining robust state support for higher education and research. Adequate funding levels are essential to fulfill society's expectations and future demand for skilled professionals, including engineers (The College Board).

The civil engineering profession is expected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 2-3% from 2019 to 2029 due to increased numbers of government initiatives to repair aging infrastructure. As the population grows and our infrastructure ages, the demand for the civil engineering profession is expected to increase.

States play a key role in making higher education accessible. Many students rely heavily on financial aid from the states to attend public and private universities, as well as colleges and community colleges. Any reductions in state appropriations for higher education would result in increased costs, high student debts, and more barriers to securing a stable American middle class. Reductions in state support would have a disproportionate impact on students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, which negatively affects access, diversity, and inclusion.

Rationale

State government funding supporting engineering education is essential for maintaining sufficient engineering expertise to support society’s needs. By making higher education accessible, states help prepare people for meaningful and good-paying jobs. America’s economic competitiveness relies, in part, on a diverse pool of qualified engineers to design, build, and maintain the nation’s infrastructure, conduct research, develop new products and technologies, and solve the challenging problems we face at the state, national, and global levels. Engineers help meet state and national needs and goals by ensuring that the public health, safety, welfare, and protection of the environment are addressed and achieved.

ASCE Policy Statement 555
First Approved 2018