Home Schools University of Alabama Civil Engineering
Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #66 of 220

Civil Engineeringat The University of Alabama

Graduates earn $70,619/yr in their first year — about 2.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $798K; scenarios range from $698K to $835K depending on AI disruption.

Tuscaloosa, AL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
72 STRONG
74
Optimistic
70
Pessimistic
Earnings
$70,619
1-year post-graduation
ROI
17.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$798K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Alabama

The University of Alabama's Civil Engineering program produces graduates earning $70,619/yr — within striking distance of the $69,097 national average for this field.

With a 16.8x 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.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $25,000 in median debt clears quickly against $70,619 in annual earnings.

A #66 ranking among 220 Civil Engineering programs places The University of Alabama in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 23% earnings increase from $70,619 to $86,784 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$698K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple14.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$798K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple16.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$835K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple17.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Alabama's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Civil 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
Petroleum engineers
+1.3% 10-yr growth · 1,200 openings/yr
$141,280/yr
High
3
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
4
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
5
Environmental engineers
+3.9% 10-yr growth · 3,000 openings/yr
$104,170/yr
High
6
Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers
+0.7% 10-yr growth · 400 openings/yr
$101,020/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Civil Engineering

How University of Alabama stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Loyola Marymount University
CA · Private nonprofit
53
DW Score
$88K
1-yr earn
2.7x
ROI
University of Southern California
CA · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$85K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
Top score
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
77
DW Score
$81K
1-yr earn
21.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
61
DW Score
$80K
1-yr earn
2.8x
ROI
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
75
DW Score
$78K
1-yr earn
16.6x
ROI
Also at University of Alabama

Other top programs at University of Alabama

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Alabama, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Alabama

What does a 72/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Civil Engineering at The University of Alabama?

At 72/100, 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 The University of Alabama?

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.