Civil Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

Is paying roughly $4,000 more in debt than typical Florida civil engineering graduates worth it when earning potential appears middle-of-the-pack? Similar programs across Florida suggest first-year earnings around $66,000—exactly matching the state median but trailing the top public universities by $3,000 to $7,000. That matters because Embry-Riddle's estimated $27,000 debt load runs higher than both the Florida median ($23,000) and the national median ($24,500) for civil engineering programs. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41 remains manageable, but you're paying more for outcomes that don't appear to exceed what in-state flagships deliver.

The reality check here is that these estimates are drawn from peer programs rather than Embry-Riddle's actual graduate outcomes, which aren't publicly available due to small sample sizes. What we know for certain is that among Florida's 13 civil engineering programs with reported data, earnings cluster tightly between $66,000 and $73,000 at the University of Florida. Embry-Riddle's aerospace engineering reputation is undisputed, but whether that prestige translates to civil engineering specifically—and whether it justifies the premium—remains unclear without program-specific outcomes data.

The calculation is straightforward: if your child is choosing Embry-Riddle specifically for civil engineering rather than aerospace, compare the full cost of attendance against Florida's public options where outcomes are documented and typically strong. The estimated figures suggest you'd be borrowing more for similar earning potential.