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Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #42 of 220

Civil Engineeringat University of Idaho

Graduates earn $68,885/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $744K; scenarios range from $658K to $774K depending on AI disruption.

Moscow, ID Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
74
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$68,885
1-year post-graduation
ROI
21.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$744K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Idaho

First-year earnings of $68,885 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 21.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 49% task exposure — and the 15% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $20,125 in median debt against $68,885 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #42 out of 220 programs, University of Idaho's Civil Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth is modest: $68,885 to $80,624 over five years (17% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

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
$658K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple18.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$744K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple21.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$774K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple21.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at University of Idaho

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Idaho

How does University of Idaho's Civil Engineering program score?

A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Idaho's Civil Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Civil Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Civil Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 49% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does University of Idaho rank so high for Civil Engineering?

The #42 ranking out of 220 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.