Program Analysis
At $72,350/yr, Civil Engineering graduates from California State University-Chico land near the $69,097 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
The 29.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $21,125 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #6 out of 220 programs, California State University-Chico's Civil Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $72,350 to $101,629 shows 40% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.