Civil Engineering at University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

UMass Dartmouth's civil engineering graduates start around $63,000—lagging about $9,000 behind the state median and ranking in just the 40th percentile among Massachusetts programs. That's a meaningful gap in a state where engineering salaries run high, and it puts this program squarely in the middle of the pack despite the school's modest admission standards. For context, UMass Amherst engineering grads earn $7,000 more right out of the gate, while private options like WPI and Northeastern command premiums exceeding $13,000.

The saving grace here is manageable debt. At $27,000—exactly the state median—graduates face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43, meaning they owe less than half their first-year salary. That's reasonable territory for an engineering degree, and the steady 3% earnings growth to year four suggests stable career progression, even if the absolute numbers don't excite.

This program works best for students who need the accessible admission standards (92% acceptance rate) and in-state tuition, and who understand they're trading some earning potential for accessibility. The engineering fundamentals are clearly there—graduates are employed and earning professional salaries. But families banking on premium engineering returns should recognize this program underperforms its Massachusetts peers by a significant margin. If cost difference between UMass Dartmouth and Amherst is negligible, the Amherst program delivers notably stronger outcomes.