Program Analysis
Graduates earn $75,758/yr, edging above the $69,097 national average for Civil Engineering — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
With a 30.7x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 19% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Civil Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $16,500 in median debt against $75,758 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Among 220 Civil Engineering programs nationally, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona ranks #2 — elite territory by any measure of graduate financial outcomes.
A 32% earnings increase from $75,758 to $99,934 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.