U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 36 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 14% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,708.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $88,140. College Scorecard.
Cornell University Civil Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Civil Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Cornell University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $1,776 | $7,282 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $4,070 | $16,687 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $6,796 | $27,864 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $14,311 | $58,675 | 1.0 years |
| $110k+ | $49,992 | $204,967 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (87% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Civil Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($91,242) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $56,609 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Civil Engineering at New York colleges
Every New York college we cover that reports Civil Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | $108,466 | — | $13,269 | 81% |
| 2 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $108,246 | — | $21,590 | 96% |
| 3 | Manhattan University | $95,877 | $27,000 | $27,256 | 64% |
| 4 | New York University | $94,867 | $21,905 | $37,050 | 88% |
| 5 | Stony Brook University | $92,908 | $17,250 | $18,784 | 76% |
| 6 | Cornell University | $91,242 | $12,750 | $28,690 | 95% |
| 7 | Syracuse University | $88,996 | $27,000 | $38,793 | 84% |
| 8 | CUNY City College | $87,957 | $17,500 | $3,776 | 57% |
| 9 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $86,794 | $26,979 | $36,228 | 84% |
| 10 | University at Buffalo | $84,868 | $22,913 | $20,995 | 75% |
| 11 | Clarkson University | $82,387 | $27,000 | $30,305 | 75% |
| 12 | SUNY Polytechnic Institute | $75,078 | $19,146 | $14,164 | 55% |
3 more New York colleges offer Civil Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Civil Engineering graduates
Civil engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Environmental Engineers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Cornell University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Cornell University
- Acceptance rate: 9% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 95% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $104,043
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at Cornell University
- Electrical Engineering$147,241
- Engineering$128,207
- Environmental Engineering$103,016
- Mechanical Engineering$112,212
- Architecture—
Cornell University Civil Engineering questions
How much do Cornell University Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Cornell University earn a median $91,242 four years after graduating and $80,261 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do Cornell University Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Cornell University is $12,750, about 14% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is Cornell University a good school for Civil Engineering in New York?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Cornell University earn $91,242 four years out, $1,123 above the median for the same major across 12 New York colleges ($90,119) and $6,145 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Cornell University rank for Civil Engineering in New York?
Of 12 New York colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Cornell University ranks 6th. The highest is The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art at $108,466.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $97,550 in the Ithaca, NY area and $100,840 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and environmental engineers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Cornell University Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/cornell-university/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).