U.S. median for this major: $85,097.
College Scorecard field of study; 118 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 24% 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 $27,648. College Scorecard.
Washington 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 Washington 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 | $7,074 | $30,913 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $8,971 | $39,203 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $11,519 | $50,338 | 1.0 years |
| $75–110k | $18,426 | $80,522 | 1.6 years |
| $110k+ | $24,726 | $108,053 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($91,879) minus $40,219 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in WA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $51,660 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 Washington colleges
Every Washington 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 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | $92,010 | $14,874 | $14,091 | 85% |
| 2 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | $92,010 | $14,874 | $10,163 | 63% |
| 3 | Washington State University | $91,879 | $22,450 | $14,971 | 61% |
| 4 | Gonzaga University | $86,942 | $25,000 | $35,119 | 86% |
| 5 | Saint Martin's University | $85,276 | $23,616 | $28,119 | 52% |
| 6 | Seattle University | $81,559 | $24,000 | $34,662 | 76% |
1 more Washington college offers Civil Engineering but has 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 Washington State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Washington State University
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 61% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $68,905
- Full cost breakdown · all 89 majors · overview
Related majors at Washington State University
- Electrical Engineering$104,354
- Mechanical Engineering$93,971
- Architecture—
Washington State University Civil Engineering questions
How much do Washington State University Civil Engineering graduates earn?
Civil Engineering graduates of Washington State University earn a median $91,879 four years after graduating and $74,841 one year after. The U.S. median for Civil Engineering graduates across 233 colleges is $85,097.
How much debt do Washington State University Civil Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Civil Engineering graduates of Washington State University is $22,450, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,708.
Is Washington State University a good school for Civil Engineering in Washington?
On pay, Civil Engineering graduates of Washington State University earn $91,879 four years out, $2,469 above the median for the same major across 6 Washington colleges ($89,410) and $6,782 above the U.S. median ($85,097). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Washington State University rank for Civil Engineering in Washington?
Of 6 Washington colleges reporting Civil Engineering graduate earnings, Washington State University ranks 3rd. The highest is University of Washington-Seattle Campus at $92,010.
What jobs do Civil Engineering graduates get?
A common career is civil engineer, with a median wage of $110,000 in Washington 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: “Washington State University Civil Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-state-university/majors/civil-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).