Construction Engineering: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 13 reporting college programs.
+$307,018 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
Observed national outcomes
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Arizona State University Campus Immersion$116,2192California State University, Sacramento$114,5943Oregon State University$105,9644Oregon State University-Cascades Campus$105,9645Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$102,6996Texas Tech University$102,3127Purdue University-Main Campus$101,1088Iowa State University$100,6769North Carolina State University at Raleigh$94,50510University of Cincinnati-Main Campus$92,984Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $116,219 | Not available | +197% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | California State University, SacramentoBachelor's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $114,594 | $15,000 | +220% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | Oregon State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Corvallis, OR | $105,964 | $27,000 | +136% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | Oregon State University-Cascades CampusBachelor's Degree | Bend, OR | $105,964 | $27,000 | +142% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $102,699 | $26,698 | +106% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | Texas Tech UniversityBachelor's Degree | Lubbock, TX | $102,312 | $24,098 | +124% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | Purdue University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $101,108 | $24,250 | +135% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | Iowa State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Ames, IA | $100,676 | $20,500 | +119% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $94,505 | $25,147 | +99% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | University of Cincinnati-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Cincinnati, OH | $92,984 | $25,480 | +70% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Bowling Green State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Bowling Green, OH | $82,365 | $27,000 | +35% | Positive payoff |
| 12 | Bradley UniversityBachelor's Degree | Peoria, IL | $82,309 | Not available | +38% | Positive payoff |
| 13 | East Texas A&M UniversityBachelor's Degree | Commerce, TX | $80,585 | Not available | +57% | Positive payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.