Civil Engineeringat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $65,478/yr in their first year — about 5.0% below the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $864K; scenarios range from $747K to $909K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
Graduates earn $65,478/yr, roughly in line with the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.2x 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 18% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $65,478 far exceeding the $16,400 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #103 of 220 Civil Engineering programs, University of California-San Diego scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $65,478 to $91,984 over five years — a 40% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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 UC San Diego'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 UC San Diego stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC San Diego
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC San Diego, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at UC San Diego
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at University of California-San Diego?
This program scores 70/100 — 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 $747,259 in decade earnings vs $909,193 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.