U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 320 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 33% 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 $32,559. College Scorecard.
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona'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 | $16,017 | $68,072 | 1.5 years |
| $30–48k | $16,546 | $70,321 | 1.5 years |
| $48–75k | $19,464 | $82,722 | 1.8 years |
| $75–110k | $23,562 | $100,139 | 2.2 years |
| $110k+ | $28,263 | $120,118 | 2.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (14% 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 ($81,403) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $45,606 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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona
- Acceptance rate: 98% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 17% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,435
- Full cost breakdown · all 22 majors · overview
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Civil Engineering questions
How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona earn a median $81,403 four years after graduating and $67,966 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona is $26,838, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona a good school for Civil Engineering in Pennsylvania?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona earn $81,403 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 14 Pennsylvania colleges ($81,403) and $3,694 below the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona rank for Civil Engineering in Pennsylvania?
Of 14 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona ranks 7th. 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 $93,680 in the Altoona, PA 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: “Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-altoona/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).