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Civil Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree
71 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
72
Optimistic
71
Base Case
68
Pessimistic
Earnings $73,397/yr (6% vs median)
AI Risk High (49% exposed)
Job Market Large (56,100 openings/yr)
ROI 13.0x earnings multiple (6.0x out-of-state)
Ranked #94 of 220 Civil Engineering programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Civil Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $871K $830K $722K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 13.6x 13.0x 11.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.3x 6.0x 5.2x
Probability of Field Employment 84% 75% 55%
DegreeOutlook Score 72 71 68

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$64,016
Out-of-state: $138,004 (6.0x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$60,804
5% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,000
3.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$90,751
24% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $73,397/yr, edging above the $69,097 national average for Civil Engineering — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 13.0x 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 17% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $19,000 in median debt against $73,397 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #94 out of 220 programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Civil Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $73,397 to $90,751 shows 24% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

With a 44% acceptance rate, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is moderately selective, serving a student body of 34,623 in Champaign, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Petroleum engineers $141,280/yr
Engineers, all other $117,750/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 220 schools offering Civil Engineering →

Civil Engineering at Other Schools

Loyola Marymount University ($87,790) University of Southern California ($85,262) Santa Clara University ($84,883) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($80,673) Montana Technological University ($80,327) Cornell University ($80,261) Bucknell University ($80,231) University of California-Berkeley ($78,142)

Other Majors at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Computer Science ($124,530) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($113,503) Mathematics and Computer Science ($109,843) Computer Engineering ($103,123) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($86,483) Systems Engineering ($81,785) Nuclear Engineering ($81,134) Mechanical Engineering ($80,187)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Civil Engineering program score?
A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign'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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →