Home Schools University of Massachusetts-Amherst Civil Engineering
Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #138 of 220

Civil Engineeringat University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Graduates earn $69,757/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $800K; scenarios range from $699K to $836K depending on AI disruption.

Amherst, MA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
68 SOLID
69
Optimistic
66
Pessimistic
Earnings
$69,757
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$800K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

First-year earnings of $69,757 track close to the $69,097 national median for Civil Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 11.5x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 16% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Civil Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

At $26,961 in median debt against $69,757 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

A #138 ranking among 220 Civil Engineering programs places University of Massachusetts-Amherst in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

A 24% earnings increase from $69,757 to $86,717 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$699K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple10.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$800K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple11.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$836K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple12.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

What does a 68/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Civil Engineering at University of Massachusetts-Amherst?

At 68/100, the score looks reasonable — but Civil Engineering is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Civil Engineering at University of Massachusetts-Amherst?

The 49% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.