U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 35 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 23% 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 $25,489. College Scorecard.
UTC 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 UTC'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 | $9,876 | $43,553 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,919 | $48,153 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $13,594 | $59,950 | 1.0 years |
| $75–110k | $17,374 | $76,619 | 1.3 years |
| $110k+ | $19,137 | $84,394 | 1.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($91,615) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $57,097 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee 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 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $91,615 | $20,747 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 2 | Vanderbilt University | $82,744 | — | $15,846 | 94% |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $80,958 | $21,450 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 4 | University of Memphis | $79,598 | $29,750 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 5 | Tennessee Technological University | $78,646 | $20,870 | $14,246 | 58% |
4 more Tennessee 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 UTC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UTC
- Acceptance rate: 81% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 50% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $51,151
- Full cost breakdown · all 47 majors · overview
Related majors at UTC
- Electrical Engineering$86,537
- Engineering$81,757
- Mechanical Engineering$89,407
UTC Civil Engineering questions
How much do UTC Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga earn a median $91,615 four years after graduating and $65,419 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do UTC Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga is $20,747, about 23% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is UTC a good school for Civil Engineering in Tennessee?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga earn $91,615 four years out, $10,657 above the median for the same major across 5 Tennessee colleges ($80,958) and $6,518 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UTC rank for Civil Engineering in Tennessee?
Of 5 Tennessee colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $95,630 in the Chattanooga, TN-GA 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: “The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-chattanooga/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).