U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 157 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 30% 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 $24,018. College Scorecard.
ISU Civil Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Fewer than 3 Iowa colleges report earnings for this major, so there is no state median.
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 ISU'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 | $10,582 | $45,714 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $11,506 | $49,706 | 1.0 years |
| $48–75k | $15,463 | $66,800 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $19,605 | $84,694 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,496 | $97,183 | 2.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($85,427) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $48,766 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 | Iowa State University | $85,427 | $25,250 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 2 | University of Iowa | $83,350 | $27,000 | $22,531 | 75% |
2 more Iowa 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 ISU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About ISU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,386
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at ISU
- Construction Engineering$100,676
- Electrical Engineering$99,705
- Environmental Engineering—
- Mechanical Engineering$85,938
- Industrial Engineering$92,914
- Architecture$69,310
ISU Civil Engineering questions
How much do ISU Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Iowa State University earn a median $85,427 four years after graduating and $72,502 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do ISU Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Iowa State University is $25,250, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Where does ISU rank for Civil Engineering in Iowa?
Of 2 Iowa colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Iowa State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $100,200 in the Ames, IA 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: “Iowa State University Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/iowa-state-university/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).