Civil Engineeringat California State University-Northridge
Graduates earn $62,768/yr in their first year — about 9.0% below the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $842K; scenarios range from $731K to $884K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Northridge
California State University-Northridge's Civil Engineering program produces graduates earning $62,768/yr — within striking distance of the $69,097 national average for this field.
The 29.7x 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 17% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $19,834 in median debt clears quickly against $62,768 in annual earnings.
Ranked #35 out of 220 programs, California State University-Northridge's Civil Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $62,768 to $88,971 shows 42% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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 Northridge'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 Northridge stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Northridge
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Northridge, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at CSU Northridge
How does California State University-Northridge's Civil Engineering program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. California State University-Northridge's Civil Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Civil Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Civil Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Northridge rank so high for Civil Engineering?
The #35 ranking out of 220 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.