Civil Engineeringat California State University-Fullerton
Graduates earn $72,606/yr in their first year — about 5.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $855K; scenarios range from $740K to $898K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Fullerton
Your exploration into Civil Engineering at CSU Fullerton places you at a strong regional hub for the profession. The program's robust outcomes reflect its practical, hands-on curriculum, deeply integrated with the dynamic Southern California labor market. You'll find a strong pipeline to local employers – from major construction firms and engineering consultancies to municipal public works departments and Caltrans – all actively seeking graduates to support the region's continuous infrastructure development and urban planning needs. This practical focus, combined with Fullerton's reputation for producing job-ready engineers, helps explain the strong career starts.
While the data highlights AI risk, understand that for civil engineers, this often means leveraging new tools for design and analysis, not outright replacement. Your ability to integrate these technologies while mastering critical thinking, project management, and on-site problem-solving will be paramount. Prioritize internships early to build connections and apply your learning directly, solidifying your path in this essential field.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CSU Fullerton's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Civil Engineering
How CSU Fullerton stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Fullerton
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Fullerton, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at CSU Fullerton
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at California State University-Fullerton?
This program scores 76/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Civil Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Civil Engineering careers?
With 49% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $740,120 in decade earnings vs $898,369 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes California State University-Fullerton's Civil Engineering program stand out?
Ranked #8 of 220 programs nationally, California State University-Fullerton lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.