Civil Engineering at Ohio University-Southern Campus

Ohio University-Southern's civil engineering program delivers below-average starting salaries but shows steady growth and manageable debt. At $63,884, first-year earnings fall below both the national median ($69,574) and Ohio's median ($66,295), landing this program at the 40th percentile statewide—meaning six in ten Ohio civil engineering programs produce higher-earning graduates. The gap is noticeable: top programs like Case Western and UC deliver graduates earning $8,000-10,000 more right out of the gate.

The debt picture provides some relief. At $27,000, graduates carry exactly the state median and slightly above the national benchmark, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42—reasonable for an engineering degree. Four-year earnings climb to nearly $70,000, suggesting graduates find their footing in the market even if they start behind peers. Still, that 14th percentile national ranking is hard to ignore, especially when Ohio offers nearly a dozen programs with stronger outcomes at comparable debt levels.

For families prioritizing access and location in southern Ohio, this program can work—the fundamentals of debt and growth are solid. But students with geographic flexibility should seriously consider Cincinnati, Toledo, or Dayton, where similar debt loads pair with $7,000-8,000 higher starting salaries that compound over a career.