# Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Civil Engineering (bachelor's)

Troy, NY. IPEDS 194824, CIP 14.08. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/majors/civil-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $71,790
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $86,794 (U.S. median for this major: $85,097 across 233 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,979 (U.S. median $24,708)
- Rank in NY: 9 of 12 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the NY median for this major (12 colleges, $90,119): -$3,325
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,697

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.16 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $86,794 minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $24,078 | $100,164 | 1.9 years |
| 30-48k | $26,289 | $109,362 | 2.1 years |
| 48-75k | $28,212 | $117,362 | 2.2 years |
| 75-110k | $36,230 | $150,717 | 2.9 years |
| 110k+ | $42,541 | $176,971 | 3.4 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Civil Engineering at NY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art | $108,466 | not reported | $13,269 | 81% |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $108,246 | not reported | $21,590 | 96% |
| Manhattan University | $95,877 | $27,000 | $27,256 | 64% |
| New York University | $94,867 | $21,905 | $37,050 | 88% |
| Stony Brook University | $92,908 | $17,250 | $18,784 | 76% |
| Cornell University | $91,242 | $12,750 | $28,690 | 95% |
| Syracuse University | $88,996 | $27,000 | $38,793 | 84% |
| CUNY City College | $87,957 | $17,500 | $3,776 | 57% |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | $86,794 | $26,979 | $36,228 | 84% |
| University at Buffalo | $84,868 | $22,913 | $20,995 | 75% |
| Clarkson University | $82,387 | $27,000 | $30,305 | 75% |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute | $75,078 | $19,146 | $14,164 | 55% |

## Careers
- Civil engineer (SOC 17-2050): median wage $102,470 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $103,760 NY, $100,840 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6.4% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $181,000 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $175,710 NY, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Environmental Engineers (SOC 17-2081): median wage $96,540 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, $101,270 NY, $107,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 6.3% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).