U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 85 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 $32,198. College Scorecard.
MSU 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 MSU'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 | $7,068 | $29,968 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 1.2 years |
| $75–110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (65% 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 ($90,650) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $57,239 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 | Michigan State University | $90,650 | $27,000 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 2 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $89,165 | $18,750 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 3 | Wayne State University | $84,157 | $30,548 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 4 | Michigan Technological University | $83,841 | $26,000 | $14,182 | 68% |
| 5 | Lawrence Technological University | $83,291 | $30,197 | $32,918 | 61% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University | $78,368 | $29,156 | $15,273 | 58% |
2 more Michigan 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 MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $67,253
- Full cost breakdown · all 105 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- Electrical Engineering$100,481
- Engineering$102,301
- Mechanical Engineering$97,946
MSU Civil Engineering questions
How much do MSU Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Michigan State University earn a median $90,650 four years after graduating and $72,048 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do MSU Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Michigan State University is $27,000, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is MSU a good school for Civil Engineering in Michigan?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Michigan State University earn $90,650 four years out, $6,651 above the median for the same major across 6 Michigan colleges ($83,999) and $5,553 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for Civil Engineering in Michigan?
Of 6 Michigan colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Michigan State University ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $96,040 in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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: “Michigan State University Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).