Civil Engineering at Southern University and A & M College

Southern's civil engineering program shows graduates earning $60,219 in their first year—below both the Louisiana median ($63,494) and the national benchmark ($69,574). While that places this program at the 40th percentile statewide (middle of the pack in Louisiana), it lags significantly behind LSU ($67,552) and UL Lafayette ($69,177). The debt load of $32,162 is notably higher than both state and national medians, resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53—manageable but not ideal when combined with below-average starting salaries.

The program serves a predominantly Pell Grant student population (65%), and engineering graduates here do land professional salaries that should allow reasonable debt repayment. However, parents should recognize they're paying similar or higher debt for earnings that trail peer Louisiana programs by $7,000-9,000 annually. That gap compounds over a career and represents real money.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes vary considerably. For families prioritizing affordability and access to an ABET-accredited engineering degree, Southern provides a viable path. But if your student can gain admission to LSU or UL Lafayette—both offering significantly higher earnings with comparable or lower debt—those represent stronger financial returns on the engineering investment.