Home Schools West Virginia University Institute of Technology Civil Engineering
Engineering · Civil Engineering Rank #62 of 220

Civil Engineeringat West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Graduates earn $67,062/yr in their first year — about 3.0% below the national Civil Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $756K; scenarios range from $667K to $788K depending on AI disruption.

Beckley, WV Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
74
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$67,062
1-year post-graduation
ROI
24.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$756K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

West Virginia University Institute of Technology's Civil Engineering program produces graduates earning $67,062/yr — within striking distance of the $69,097 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 23.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Civil Engineering programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Civil Engineering's typical career paths, with 49% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 15% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $22,250 in median debt clears quickly against $67,062 in annual earnings.

At #62 of 220 Civil Engineering programs, West Virginia University Institute of Technology scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Earnings grow from $67,062 to $81,556 over five years — a 22% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.

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
$667K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple20.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$756K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple23.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$788K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple24.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Other highest-scoring programs offered at West Virginia University Institute of Technology, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Civil Engineering at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Civil Engineering at West Virginia University Institute of Technology?

This program scores 73/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Civil Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

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 $667,195 in decade earnings vs $787,772 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.