Civil Engineeringat Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
Graduates earn $67,552/yr in their first year — about 2.0% below the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $820K; scenarios range from $714K to $859K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at LSU
First-year earnings of $67,552 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 17.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Civil Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Civil Engineering's typical career paths, with 49% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 17% gap from the optimistic case.
At $21,312 in median debt against $67,552 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #74 of 220 Civil Engineering programs, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $67,552 to $88,199 over five years — a 31% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career 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 LSU'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 LSU stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at LSU
Other highest-scoring programs offered at LSU, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at LSU
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College?
This program scores 72/100 — 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 $714,086 in decade earnings vs $858,884 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.