Civil Engineering
Offered at 678 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 6 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 15 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 309 | $72,633 | $89,879 | $23,456 |
| Master's | 199 | $84,832 | $101,771 | — |
| Doctoral | 128 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 21 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College | NY | — | $70,255 | — |
| 2 | El Paso Community College | TX | — | $59,181 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $84,461 | $115,685 | $11,817 |
| 2 | University of Southern California | CA | $81,387 | $112,881 | $18,817 |
| 3 | Santa Clara University | CA | — | $110,396 | $21,500 |
| 4 | Stevens Institute of Technology | NJ | $78,905 | $110,095 | $27,000 |
| 5 | San Jose State University | CA | — | $109,028 | $14,750 |
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $79,454 | $106,910 | $17,066 |
| 7 | University of California-Davis | CA | $76,288 | $106,427 | $12,000 |
| 8 | University of Arizona | AZ | $79,234 | $106,257 | — |
| 9 | California State University-Northridge | CA | $72,768 | $106,167 | $17,625 |
| 10 | California State University-Chico | CA | $81,083 | $105,838 | $19,699 |
| 11 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | — | $104,968 | — |
| 12 | Northeastern University | MA | $79,302 | $104,927 | $19,500 |
| 13 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $78,525 | $104,660 | $15,000 |
| 14 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $80,840 | $104,260 | $11,471 |
| 15 | New York University | NY | $71,920 | $103,987 | $17,427 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manhattan University | NY | $93,386 | $125,381 | — |
| 2 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | $92,539 | $120,649 | — |
| 3 | University of Southern California | CA | — | $119,877 | — |
| 4 | New York University | NY | $88,930 | $119,356 | — |
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | CA | $94,479 | $118,426 | — |
| 6 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick | NJ | $91,221 | $117,960 | — |
| 7 | California State University-Northridge | CA | $99,276 | $117,178 | — |
| 8 | Stanford University | CA | $88,016 | $116,849 | — |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $116,083 | — |
| 10 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $88,628 | $115,554 | — |
| 11 | California State University-Sacramento | CA | — | $114,042 | — |
| 12 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | NJ | $93,238 | $113,631 | — |
| 13 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $86,550 | $113,564 | — |
| 14 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $84,398 | $113,225 | — |
| 15 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | MO | $84,096 | $113,008 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do civil engineering graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in civil engineering reports median earnings of $72,633. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
