Civil Engineeringat North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Graduates earn $70,346/yr in their first year — about 2.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $782K; scenarios range from $686K to $817K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at NC State
First-year earnings of $70,346 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
With a 22.0x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 16% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Civil Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $23,972 in median debt against $70,346 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
North Carolina State University at Raleigh ranks #26 among 220 Civil Engineering programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.
A 21% earnings increase from $70,346 to $84,995 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.
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 NC State'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 NC State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at NC State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at NC State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at NC State
What does a 74/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University at Raleigh?
At 74/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University at Raleigh?
The 49% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is North Carolina State University at Raleigh one of the best schools for Civil Engineering?
Among 220 Civil Engineering programs, North Carolina State University at Raleigh's #26 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.