Civil Engineering at University of Virginia-Main Campus

UVA's civil engineering program produces strong graduates who earn above the national median, but it's worth noting these figures come from a small sample of fewer than 30 graduates—meaning individual outcomes could vary more than usual. Still, the debt picture here is exceptional: graduates leave with less than $15,000 in loans compared to $24,500 nationally, giving them significant financial flexibility early in their careers.

Within Virginia, this program sits in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile, trailing George Mason and Virginia Tech by a small margin. The difference isn't dramatic—we're talking about $1,000-2,000 in starting salary—but it's real. What UVA offers instead is prestige and lower debt than its in-state competitors. Four years out, graduates see steady 13% earnings growth to $84,000, which is solid progression for early-career engineers.

The value proposition here depends on how much UVA's brand matters to your family. If you're choosing between UVA and Virginia Tech for civil engineering specifically, Tech might edge it out on pure salary data (and typically at lower cost for in-state students). But if your child is already set on UVA for its overall academic experience and has been admitted to this selective program, the minimal debt load means they won't be financially constrained by that choice. Just remember: small sample sizes mean these numbers might not reflect typical outcomes as reliably as data from larger programs.