Civil Engineeringat University of Southern California
Graduates earn $85,262/yr in their first year — about 23.0% above the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,057K; scenarios range from $890K to $1,125K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Southern California
Your strong outcomes reflect USC Viterbi's deep ties to the vibrant Southern California construction and infrastructure sectors. The sheer scale of development and maintenance in a region like Los Angeles, from transportation networks to urban planning, creates constant demand for skilled civil engineers. This environment fosters robust recruiting pipelines with major private firms and public agencies, where the complexity and capital investment of projects drive higher compensation. USC's strong reputation and extensive alumni network ensure these aren't just local opportunities. While the listed AI risk highlights how automation will increasingly handle routine design and analysis, human judgment, ethical considerations, and complex project management remain irreplaceable. To thrive, cultivate skills that complement AI, like complex problem-solving, project leadership, and communication, ensuring you can manage and innovate beyond automated tasks.
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 Southern California'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 Southern California stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Southern California
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Southern California, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at University of Southern California
What does a 65/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Civil Engineering at University of Southern California?
At 65/100, 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 Southern California?
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.
What do students actually pay for Civil Engineering at University of Southern California?
The 53% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $272,948. At a net cost of $127,708, the earnings multiple improves substantially.