Civil Engineering Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Design and construction of infrastructure including roads, bridges, and buildings.
Starting Salary
$68K
median
Mid-Career
$100K
salary
ROI Payback
3.8 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
2.8%
rate
Civil Engineering Overview
Design and construction of infrastructure including roads, bridges, and buildings.
Category
Engineering
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
63%
Enrollment Trend
stable
Online Available
Limited
Underemployment
10%
Lifetime Premium
$850K
Female Graduates
24%
Civil Engineering Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$19,800
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$19,800
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$830,200
Lifetime earnings premium ($850,000) minus net degree cost ($19,800)
Civil Engineering Salary Progression
Common Civil Engineering Careers
Civil Engineer
Structural Engineer
Project Manager
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Civil Engineering
#1
MIT
#2
UC Berkeley
#3
Stanford
#4
Georgia Tech
#5
University of Illinois
Related Majors
Civil Engineering Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Civil Engineering Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for civil engineering programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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