Program Analysis
Graduates earn $71,790/yr, roughly in line with the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 3.5x return on tuition is positive but not overwhelming. Financial outcomes depend on keeping costs close to in-state rates.
AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $71,790 far exceeding the $26,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #193 out of 220 programs, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's financial outcomes for Civil Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $71,790 to $94,283 shows 31% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.