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 29% 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 $80,856. College Scorecard.
Lehigh 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 Lehigh 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 | $16,917 | $69,360 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $17,140 | $70,274 | 1.3 years |
| $48–75k | $18,722 | $76,760 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $22,184 | $90,954 | 1.6 years |
| $110k+ | $48,751 | $199,879 | 3.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (81% 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 ($91,856) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $56,059 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 Pennsylvania colleges
Every Pennsylvania 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 | Carnegie Mellon University | $105,199 | — | $31,944 | 94% |
| 2 | Bucknell University | $95,693 | $27,000 | $40,766 | 86% |
| 3 | Lehigh University | $91,856 | $27,000 | $36,931 | 88% |
| 4 | Drexel University | $84,992 | $31,000 | $38,509 | 78% |
| 5 | Temple University | $82,553 | $26,665 | $28,198 | 75% |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Lehigh Valley | $81,403 | $26,838 | $18,220 | 18% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | $81,403 | $26,838 | $22,213 | 17% |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg | $81,403 | $26,838 | $23,330 | 26% |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine | $81,403 | $26,838 | $22,585 | 26% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University | $81,403 | $26,838 | $32,875 | 86% |
| 11 | Villanova University | $81,038 | $27,000 | $43,756 | 92% |
| 12 | Widener University | $80,117 | $27,000 | $25,759 | 68% |
| 13 | University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | $77,608 | $27,000 | $18,202 | 56% |
| 14 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | $77,608 | $27,000 | $30,434 | 86% |
8 more Pennsylvania 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 Lehigh University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Lehigh University
- Acceptance rate: 26% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 88% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $105,584
- Full cost breakdown · all 65 majors · overview
Related majors at Lehigh University
- Electrical Engineering$108,503
- Environmental Engineering—
- Mechanical Engineering$96,618
- Industrial Engineering$121,498
- Architecture—
Lehigh University Civil Engineering questions
How much do Lehigh University Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Lehigh University earn a median $91,856 four years after graduating and $73,545 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do Lehigh University Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Lehigh University is $27,000, about 29% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is Lehigh University a good school for Civil Engineering in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Lehigh University earn $91,856 four years out, $10,453 above the median for the same major across 14 Pennsylvania colleges ($81,403) and $6,759 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Lehigh University rank for Civil Engineering in Pennsylvania?
Of 14 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Lehigh University ranks 3rd. The highest is Carnegie Mellon University at $105,199.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $98,760 in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ area and $100,840 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and environmental engineers.
Is Lehigh University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Lehigh University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Lehigh University Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/lehigh-university/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).