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Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #182 of 220

Civil Engineeringat University of Notre Dame

Graduates earn $74,499/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $861K; scenarios range from $745K to $906K depending on AI disruption.

Notre Dame, IN Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
60 SOLID
61
Optimistic
57
Pessimistic
Earnings
$74,499
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.8x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$861K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Notre Dame

Your strong earnings potential in Civil Engineering from Notre Dame reflects the university's rigorous curriculum and powerful national alumni network. Employers actively recruit from this program, valuing the comprehensive technical skills and leadership qualities fostered here, which often translates into roles at major national engineering and construction firms or government agencies overseeing critical infrastructure. While the field broadly faces high AI risk, especially in routine design and analysis, Notre Dame graduates often pivot into project management or specialized areas like structural integrity or water resource management, where complex problem-solving and human oversight remain paramount. To thrive long-term, focus on developing robust project management, communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills, leveraging the powerful alumni network to secure opportunities that blend technical expertise with leadership.

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
$745K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple3.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$861K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score60/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$906K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple3.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at University of Notre Dame

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Notre Dame

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at University of Notre Dame?

This program scores 60/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Civil Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

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 $745,059 in decade earnings vs $905,855 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is University of Notre Dame a hidden gem for Civil Engineering?

After financial aid, the average student pays $111,292 over four years — 56% below the $250,772 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.