Civil Engineering at University of Nevada-Las Vegas

UNLV's civil engineering program produces graduates who earn slightly above the state median ($77,851 vs. $68,504 by year four) while carrying slightly less debt than typical Nevada engineering students. With just two programs in the state, UNLV outpaces UNR's outcomes by over $10,000 annually—a meaningful difference for in-state families choosing between the options.

The debt picture is reasonable: at $22,763, graduates owe less than a third of their first-year salary, which they can realistically manage on an engineering income. While the debt sits higher than ideal nationally (64th percentile), it's actually below Nevada's median for this program. The 12% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests steady career progression rather than a plateau.

What matters most here is the combination of accessibility and solid outcomes. With a 96% admission rate and 40% of students on Pell grants, UNLV serves a broader population than many engineering schools while still delivering median national earnings. For Nevada families, this program offers a lower-risk path to a stable engineering career—you're not paying premium debt for premium outcomes, but you're getting reliable results at a manageable price point. The moderate sample size means these numbers reflect real graduate outcomes, not statistical noise.