Program Analysis
Graduates earn $64,386/yr, roughly in line with the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
With a 14.1x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 15% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Civil Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
With first-year pay of $64,386 far exceeding the $21,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #145 ranking among 220 Civil Engineering programs places The University of Tennessee-Knoxville in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
A 26% earnings increase from $64,386 to $81,419 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.