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Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #16 of 220

Civil Engineeringat University of Central Florida

Graduates earn $69,321/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $798K; scenarios range from $698K to $835K depending on AI disruption.

Orlando, FL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
75 STRONG
76
Optimistic
73
Pessimistic
Earnings
$69,321
1-year post-graduation
ROI
32.9x
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 Central Florida

First-year earnings of $69,321 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 31.3x 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 16% gap from the optimistic case.

At $20,250 in median debt against $69,321 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #16 of 220 programs, University of Central Florida's Civil Engineering program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.

Earnings grow from $69,321 to $86,452 over five years — a 25% 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
$698K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple27.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$798K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple31.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$835K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple32.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at University of Central Florida

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Central Florida

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

This program scores 75/100 — 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 $698,157 in decade earnings vs $834,724 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.