Civil Engineeringat University of Houston
Graduates earn $74,822/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $832K; scenarios range from $723K to $872K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Houston
First-year earnings of $74,822 at University of Houston come in 8% above the national median of $69,097 for Civil Engineering programs.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 21.4x 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.
With first-year pay of $74,822 far exceeding the $18,660 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #17 of 220 programs, University of Houston's Civil Engineering program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Earnings grow from $74,822 to $91,240 over five years — a 22% 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 University of Houston'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 University of Houston stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Houston
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Houston, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Houston
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at University of Houston?
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 $723,016 in decade earnings vs $872,425 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.