Civil Engineering at New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Las Cruces, NM · Public · Bachelor's Degree
72 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
74
Optimistic
72
Base Case
71
Pessimistic
Earnings $60,212/yr (-13% vs median)
AI Risk High (49% exposed)
Job Market Large (56,100 openings/yr)
ROI 25.8x earnings multiple (8.3x out-of-state)
Ranked #81 of 220 Civil Engineering programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Civil Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $881K $840K $729K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 27.0x 25.8x 22.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 8.7x 8.3x 7.2x
Probability of Field Employment 84% 75% 55%
DegreeOutlook Score 74 72 71

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$32,588
Out-of-state: $101,084 (8.3x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$26,988
17% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$11,194
2.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$87,875
46% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $60,212 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 25.8x 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.

At $11,194 in median debt against $60,212 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #81 out of 220 programs, New Mexico State University-Main Campus's Civil Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $60,212 to $87,875 shows 46% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About New Mexico State University-Main Campus

New Mexico State University-Main Campus has a 76% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, enrolling 11,561 students in Las Cruces, NM. Pell Grant recipients make up 40% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.

See all programs and financial aid at New Mexico State University-Main Campus →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Petroleum engineers $141,280/yr
Engineers, all other $117,750/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Civil Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at New Mexico State University-Main Campus

Frequently Asked Questions

How does New Mexico State University-Main Campus's Civil Engineering program score?
A score of 72/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. New Mexico State University-Main Campus'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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →