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Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #92 of 220

Civil Engineeringat University of Arizona

Graduates earn $69,655/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $818K; scenarios range from $713K to $857K depending on AI disruption.

Tucson, AZ Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
71 STRONG
73
Optimistic
69
Pessimistic
Earnings
$69,655
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$818K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Arizona

University of Arizona's Civil Engineering program produces graduates earning $69,655/yr — within striking distance of the $69,097 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 15.0x 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 17% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $17,937 in median debt clears quickly against $69,655 in annual earnings.

At #92 of 220 Civil Engineering programs, University of Arizona scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $69,655 to $88,614 over five years — a 27% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

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
$713K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple13.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$818K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple15.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$857K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple15.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Arizona'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 Arizona 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 Arizona

Other top programs at University of Arizona

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Arizona

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at University of Arizona?

This program scores 71/100 — 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 $713,099 in decade earnings vs $857,385 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.