Civil Engineering, Other.
Data details: Graduation rate, gender, ethnicity, and summary are for this specific degree (6-digit CIP) from IPEDS. Salary, debt, and related financial outcomes are based on the degree category (4-digit CIP) from the College Scorecard API. ← Back to search
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Debt to Income Ratio
Why Civil Engineering, Other. stands out: With a debt-to-income ratio of just 37.5%, graduates of this program typically enjoy manageable student loan payments compared to their first-year earnings. This low ratio means that, on average, students who complete Civil Engineering, Other. can expect to pay off their student debt faster and with less financial stress than most other fields. Programs with a DTI below 0.5 are considered excellent by financial experts, making this degree a smart investment for your future.
For example, with a median salary of $63384 and average student debt of $23766, the financial outlook for Civil Engineering, Other. graduates is especially strong in .
Key Insights
Civil Engineering, Other. is a program that attracts motivated students who want to make an impact. Starting pay for new grads is typically $63384, and with an average debt of $23766, the debt-to-income ratio comes in at 0.37—meaning you’ll have lots of flexibility after graduation.
This program sees about 20728 graduates annually, so you’ll be joining a well-established network. A common next step is a career as a Civil Engineers, which is expected to see 5.0% growth. Whether you’re aiming for a high-paying job, a stable career, or a chance to make an impact, Civil Engineering, Other. is a great foundation. Remember, your journey is shaped by the opportunities you pursue—so get involved and stay curious!
Degree Overview
Civil Engineering, Other (CIP 14.0899) is a specialized engineering category for disciplines that address the non-traditional infrastructure challenges of the 21st century. While standard civil engineering focuses on traditional roads, bridges, and buildings, this "Other" designation covers cutting-edge fields such as smart city infrastructure, hyperloop transportation systems, coastal resiliency engineering, and planetary habitat construction. It is a path for "infrastructure visionaries" who want to redefine how humanity interacts with its physical environment.
This field is ideal for "big-picture engineers"—individuals who are interested in the intersection of civil engineering, data science, and environmental physics to build a more resilient and technologically integrated world.
What Is a Civil Engineering (Other) Degree?
A degree in this category focuses on the modernization and protection of the built environment. Because it is categorized as "Other," these programs are often highly interdisciplinary, blending civil engineering with geospatial informatics, climate science, or advanced materials engineering. You might study how to design seawalls that use "living" biological materials to prevent erosion, or how to integrate IoT sensors into a city's power grid to prevent outages. It is a rigorous STEM major that prepares you to solve "wicked problems" like rising sea levels and crumbling urban density.
Schools offer this degree to:
- Train "Smart City Engineers" who can integrate autonomous vehicle networks into urban layouts
- Develop experts in Disaster Resiliency who design structures to survive extreme weather and seismic events
- Prepare professionals for Offshore Engineering, such as designing foundations for deep-sea wind farms
- Study Trenchless Technology—repairing subterranean infrastructure without digging up city streets
What Will You Learn?
Students learn that modern infrastructure is no longer static; it must be "intelligent," sustainable, and capable of adapting to a rapidly changing climate.
Core Skills You’ll Build
Most students learn to:
- Master Geospatial Analysis (GIS) to map and predict how human activity impacts the land
- Use "Finite Element Analysis" to simulate how new, 3D-printed building materials handle stress
- Design Adaptive Infrastructure that can change its function based on real-time data
- Perform "Risk and Reliability Assessments" for aging infrastructure like dams and levees
- Utilize Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model flood patterns in urban "concrete jungles"
- Understand Public Policy and Ethics—navigating the legal and social impact of large-scale construction projects
Topics You May Explore
Coursework is a blend of physics, environmental science, and advanced digital modeling:
- Coastal and Ocean Engineering: The physics of waves and the engineering of shore protection.
- Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS): Using AI to manage traffic flow and reduce carbon emissions.
- Sustainable Construction Materials: Engineering carbon-negative concrete and recycled alloys.
- Earthquake Engineering: The study of vibration control and base isolation for high-rise buildings.
- Hydro-Informatics: Using data science to manage city water supplies and wastewater treatment.
- Geotechnical Innovation: Studying the behavior of soil and rock for extreme construction environments.
What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?
Graduates find roles as specialized consultants, government planners, and innovation leaders in construction firms.
Common job roles include:
- Resiliency Officer: Designing city-wide plans to combat climate change and natural disasters.
- Smart Infrastructure Engineer: Implementing the sensors and networks that power "connected" cities.
- Coastal Engineer: Managing the protection and restoration of coastlines and ports.
- Geotechnical Consultant: Specialized analysis of soil for complex foundations or underwater tunnels.
- Urban Systems Analyst: Using big data to optimize public transit and utility distribution.
- Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) Manager: Overseeing the digital 3D-modeling of massive projects.
Where Can You Work?
Civil engineering specialists work where the future of the built world is being decided:
- Engineering Consulting Firms: Leading global companies like AECOM, Jacobs, or WSP.
- Municipal and Federal Government: Working for the Army Corps of Engineers or Department of Transportation.
- Renewable Energy Firms: Designing the infrastructure for massive wind, solar, and tidal power plants.
- International Aid Organizations: Designing sustainable water and shelter systems in developing regions.
- Tech-Construction Startups: Companies pioneering 3D-printed houses or modular skyscrapers.
How Much Can You Earn?
As a professional engineering branch, salaries are high and offer strong stability, especially for those who obtain their Professional Engineer (PE) license.
- Civil Engineers (Specialized): Median annual salary of approximately $90,000–$115,000.
- Coastal/Ocean Engineers: Salaries typically range from $95,000 to $130,000.
- Structural Resiliency Specialists: Median annual salary of around $100,000–$140,000.
- Entry-Level Junior Engineers: Often start between $70,000 and $82,000.
Is This Degree Hard?
The difficulty is in the integration of multiple disciplines. You must master the classic "hard" math of Statics, Dynamics, and Calculus, but you must also understand Biology (for environmental work) and Computer Science (for smart systems). It requires "spatially gifted" individuals who can visualize complex, 3D underground and overground systems. It is an "outdoorsy" engineering major that requires both office-based modeling and site-based inspections.
Who Should Consider This Degree?
This degree may be a good fit if you:
- Love building things and seeing your work change the physical landscape
- Are concerned about climate change and want to build the "shield" that protects cities
- Are interested in the intersection of technology, data, and physical construction
- Want a career that offers a balance between advanced computer work and field visits
- Are a "systems thinker" who can see how a road, a pipe, and a power line all affect one another
How to Prepare in High School
- Take the highest levels of Physics and Calculus available
- Learn AutoCAD or Revit basics; 3D modeling is the primary language of civil engineering
- Participate in "Bridge Building" or "Future City" competitions
- Volunteer for environmental restoration projects to understand soil and water behavior
- Practice your public speaking skills; civil engineers must explain their plans to city councils and the public
The ability to design and protect the physical foundations of human civilization using the latest technological innovations is the hallmark of a successful professional in specialized civil engineering.
Personality Fit (RIASEC Profile)
Official assessment tool by the U.S. Department of Labor