Civil Engineering at Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech's civil engineering program produces starting salaries around $62,000—roughly $8,000 below the national median but close to Louisiana's typical outcomes for this degree. Among the six engineering schools in Louisiana, this ranks squarely in the middle, trailing LSU and UL Lafayette by about $6,000-7,000 but staying within the expected range for in-state options. The $27,000 debt load matches the state median and sits below the national average, yielding a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44.

However, take these numbers cautiously: the sample size is under 30 graduates, meaning one or two outliers could significantly skew the reported figures. Civil engineering typically offers stable career progression with earnings growing substantially after the first year, and Louisiana Tech's ABET-accredited program has solid industry connections in the region. For Louisiana families paying in-state tuition (around $10,000 annually), the total cost picture looks considerably better than these debt figures suggest for students who graduate without excessive borrowing.

The practical takeaway: if your child can attend at in-state rates and graduate near the median debt level, this represents a reasonable path into engineering. Just recognize they'll likely start $5,000-10,000 behind peers at LSU or UL Lafayette, which matters more in those critical first few years of loan repayment.