Civil Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

UTC's civil engineering program sits in an interesting position: its graduates earn less than the national average for civil engineering, yet it outperforms most Tennessee programs. Starting at $65,419 and climbing to nearly $78,000 by year four, these graduates actually edge past larger programs like UT-Knoxville and Memphis. Within Tennessee's eight engineering schools, this lands at the 60th percentile—solid middle-of-the-pack performance in a state where your tuition dollars stretch further than most.

The debt picture reinforces the value here. At $20,747, students graduate owing about $3,750 less than the national median for civil engineering programs, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.32. That means graduates owe roughly four months of their first-year salary—a manageable burden that allows recent graduates to start saving or paying down loans aggressively. The 19% earnings growth over four years suggests steady career progression, typical for engineering fields where experience commands higher pay.

For Tennessee families, this represents a straightforward path into a stable profession without the premium price tag of flagship programs. The 77% admission rate makes it accessible, and graduates enter the workforce earning competitively within their state market. If your child is drawn to civil engineering and wants to stay in Tennessee, UTC delivers solid returns without gambling on prestige or accumulating unnecessary debt.