Civil Engineeringat North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Graduates earn $72,729/yr in their first year — about 5.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $743K; scenarios range from $657K to $773K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at North Dakota State
First-year earnings of $72,729 at North Dakota State University-Main Campus come in 5% above the national median of $69,097 for Civil Engineering programs.
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 15% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $72,729 far exceeding the $22,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #82 of 220 Civil Engineering programs, North Dakota State University-Main Campus scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Five-year earnings of $81,230 are relatively flat compared to the $72,729 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.
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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at North Dakota State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at North Dakota State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at North Dakota State
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?
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 $657,323 in decade earnings vs $772,797 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.