The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the country’s infrastructure its highest grade ever – a overall grade of C.
As part of its 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, the ASCE assessed the country’s transportation networks, water systems, electric grid and broadband services. According to the report, legislation passed by Congress since the 2021 Report Card shows progress, but more work and investment is needed to overcome the decades of underinvestment. In 2021, the ASCE report card gave the country a C-.
“Every American household or business immediately feels the impact of just one inefficiency or failure in our built environment,” Darren Olson, 2025 Report Card Chair with the ASCE, said. “However, if we maintain investments, each American household can save $700 per year. Better infrastructure is an efficient investment of taxpayer dollars that results in a stronger economy and prioritizes American jobs, resilience and connectivity.”
According to the report, investments made because of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have started to pay off, but a $3.7 trillion gap between current planned infrastructure investments and what needs to be done to put the country’s infrastructure in good working order still exists. The organization said the new figures are up from the $2.59 trillion gap reported four years ago.
ASCE said the report shows the need for Congress to maintain existing levels of federal infrastructure investment, and the need for increased participation from state and local governments and the private sector.
In the 18 areas assessed by ASCE, nine categories received a grade in the “D” range – aviation, dams, energy, levees, roads, schools, wastewater, stormwater and transit. Categories receiving grades in the “C’ range included broadband, solid waste, bridges, hazardous waste, inland waterways, drinking water, and public parks. Two categories – energy and rail – received lower grades than they did in 2021, while dams, hazardous waste, inland waterways, levees, ports, public parks, roads, and transit, earned higher marks than they did in previous reports. For the first time since 1998, no categories received a D-.