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Engineering · Construction Engineering Rank #8 of 14

Construction Engineeringat North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Graduates earn $76,574/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $773K; scenarios range from $683K to $807K depending on AI disruption.

Raleigh, NC Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
65 SOLID
66
Optimistic
62
Pessimistic
Earnings
$76,574
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$773K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at NC State

NC State’s Construction Engineering program positions you in a specialized, high-demand field, particularly beneficial given the booming development across the Research Triangle. You're attending a strong engineering school with deep ties to regional construction, from major commercial projects to vital infrastructure development. Your earnings potential reflects a solid, established career path, tracking consistently with other specialized programs nationally.

However, the high AI risk signal isn't about job loss, but transformation. Expect your future role to heavily involve integrating advanced digital tools—think AI-driven scheduling, automated site management, and sophisticated data analytics for project optimization. Your work will increasingly blend on-site leadership with technological expertise. To truly excel, cultivate not just technical skills, but also adaptability and a proactive approach to mastering these emerging technologies. Practical experience through internships is non-negotiable for navigating this evolving landscape and securing top roles.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$683K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple19.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$773K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score65/100
Earnings Multiple21.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$807K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple22.7x
Earnings Trajectory

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.

Career Paths

Where Construction Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Civil engineers
+5.0% 10-yr growth · 23,600 openings/yr
$99,590/yr
High
5
Cost estimators
-4.2% 10-yr growth · 16,900 openings/yr
$77,070/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Construction Engineering

How NC State stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
California State University-Sacramento
CA · Public
80
DW Score
$91K
1-yr earn
41.0x
ROI
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
VA · Public
74
DW Score
$83K
1-yr earn
14.6x
ROI
Oregon State University
OR · Public
76
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
18.7x
ROI
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
OR · Public
77
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
20.1x
ROI
Iowa State University
IA · Public
76
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
21.7x
ROI
Also at NC State

Other top programs at NC State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at NC State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Construction Engineering at NC State

How does North Carolina State University at Raleigh's Construction Engineering program score?

A score of 65/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but North Carolina State University at Raleigh trails the majority of Construction Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Construction Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Construction Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.