U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 24 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 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 $15,571. College Scorecard.
PNW 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 PNW'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 | $1,432 | $6,387 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $2,428 | $10,829 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $7,026 | $31,336 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,452 | $55,536 | 1.1 years |
| $110k+ | $13,645 | $60,857 | 1.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (28% 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 ($84,514) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $48,980 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana 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 | Purdue University | $90,873 | $19,500 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 2 | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | $88,155 | $24,132 | $42,513 | 78% |
| 3 | University of Notre Dame | $85,781 | $20,100 | $26,780 | 95% |
| 4 | Purdue University Northwest | $84,514 | $28,250 | $6,079 | 43% |
| 5 | University of Evansville | $80,532 | — | $18,499 | 64% |
| 6 | Valparaiso University | $80,173 | $27,000 | $18,578 | 70% |
| 7 | Trine University | $78,808 | $27,000 | $25,355 | 64% |
2 more Indiana 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 PNW, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About PNW
- Acceptance rate: 72% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 43% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $48,318
- Full cost breakdown · all 48 majors · overview
Related majors at PNW
- Electrical Engineering$96,206
- Mechanical Engineering$91,229
PNW Civil Engineering questions
How much do PNW Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Purdue University Northwest earn a median $84,514 four years after graduating and $69,339 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do PNW Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Purdue University Northwest is $28,250, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is PNW a good school for Civil Engineering in Indiana?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Purdue University Northwest earn $84,514 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 7 Indiana colleges ($84,514) and $583 below the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does PNW rank for Civil Engineering in Indiana?
Of 7 Indiana colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Purdue University Northwest ranks 4th. The highest is Purdue University at $90,873.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $100,160 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Purdue University Northwest Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-northwest/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).