Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $70,635 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
With a 16.4x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 17% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Civil Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $22,500 in median debt against $70,635 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
A #90 ranking among 220 Civil Engineering programs places Oregon State University-Cascades Campus in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
A 27% earnings increase from $70,635 to $89,866 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.