U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 182 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 28% 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 $30,305. College Scorecard.
Ohio State 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 Ohio State 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 | $4,885 | $20,566 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $5,751 | $24,212 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $9,807 | $41,287 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $20,461 | $86,141 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $27,359 | $115,181 | 2.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (71% 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 ($85,202) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OH (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $49,764 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 Ohio colleges
Every Ohio college we cover that reports Civil Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Cincinnati | $89,653 | $24,500 | $25,648 | 75% |
| 2 | Ohio State University | $85,202 | $23,545 | $17,339 | 88% |
| 3 | University of Dayton | $83,460 | $26,500 | $29,533 | 80% |
| 4 | University of Akron Main Campus | $82,547 | $21,701 | $13,946 | 52% |
| 5 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | $81,019 | $27,000 | $3,925 | 21% |
| 6 | Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus | $81,019 | $27,000 | $5,755 | 14% |
| 7 | Ohio University-Southern Campusbachelor's & associate | $81,019 | $27,000 | $5,993 | 21% |
| 8 | Ohio University-Lancaster Campusbachelor's & associate | $81,019 | $27,000 | $5,650 | 14% |
| 9 | Ohio University | $81,019 | $27,000 | $21,637 | 65% |
| 10 | Ohio University-Zanesville Campus | $81,019 | $27,000 | $5,746 | 22% |
| 11 | Youngstown State University | $80,437 | $27,000 | $12,767 | 50% |
| 12 | Case Western Reserve University | $79,980 | $25,190 | $41,190 | 87% |
| 13 | University of Toledo | $79,886 | $20,500 | $17,249 | 57% |
| 14 | Ohio Northern University | $79,673 | $25,961 | $24,478 | 75% |
| 15 | Cleveland State University | $73,575 | $29,750 | $14,764 | 51% |
3 more Ohio 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 Ohio State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Ohio State University
- Acceptance rate: 61% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 88% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,409
- Full cost breakdown · all 129 majors · overview
Related majors at Ohio State University
- Electrical Engineering$99,400
- Environmental Engineering$80,775
- Mechanical Engineering$96,418
- Industrial Engineering$106,932
- Architecture$66,131
Ohio State University Civil Engineering questions
How much do Ohio State University Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Ohio State University earn a median $85,202 four years after graduating and $68,031 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do Ohio State University Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Ohio State University is $23,545, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is Ohio State University a good school for Civil Engineering in Ohio?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Ohio State University earn $85,202 four years out, $4,183 above the median for the same major across 15 Ohio colleges ($81,019) and $105 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Ohio State University rank for Civil Engineering in Ohio?
Of 15 Ohio colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Ohio State University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Cincinnati at $89,653.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $99,010 in the Columbus, OH area and $100,840 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and environmental engineers.
Is Ohio State University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Ohio State 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: “Ohio State University Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).