Location: College Place, WA•In-State Tuition: $33,027
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$73,357
Est. from WA median (6 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,000
Est. from WA median (3 programs)

Analysis

Washington State's civil engineering programs cluster tightly around $73,000 in first-year earnings, and Walla Walla appears positioned right in that mainstream based on comparable programs. The estimated $24,000 in debt—yielding a 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio—suggests graduates could reasonably pay this off within a few years while establishing their careers. For context, this debt level sits just below the national median for civil engineering programs.

What's encouraging here is that even the estimated figures align with what Washington's larger, established programs actually report. WSU graduates earn about $75,000, and UW-Seattle sits at roughly $73,000—the same benchmark used for this estimate. Civil engineering credentials tend to translate into stable, professional salaries regardless of school size, which may explain why even programs with small graduate cohorts track closely with state norms.

The real question is whether Walla Walla's smaller program offers advantages—like closer faculty relationships or specialized project experience—that offset the lack of verified outcomes data. The financial picture based on peer programs looks manageable, but you're essentially betting that this specific program performs like its Washington counterparts. If your student values a faith-based environment with engineering rigor, the estimated numbers don't raise red flags. Just recognize you're working with reasonable projections rather than this school's proven track record.

Where Walla Walla University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all civil engineering bachelors's programs nationally

Walla Walla University (estimated ±10%)Other civil engineering programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in Washington

Civil Engineering bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Washington (7 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Walla Walla UniversityCollege Place$33,027$73,357*—$24,000*—
Washington State UniversityPullman$12,997$74,841*$79,139$22,450*0.30
Gonzaga UniversitySpokane$53,500$74,355*$75,346$25,000*0.34
University of Washington-Seattle CampusSeattle$12,643$73,357*$82,149$14,874*0.20
University of Washington-Tacoma CampusTacoma$12,817$73,357*——*—
Saint Martin's UniversityLacey$44,210$71,601*$85,216$23,616*0.33
National Median—$69,574*—$24,500*0.35
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with civil engineering graduates

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as architecture and engineering or research and development in these fields.

$167,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers

Define, plan, or execute biofuels/biodiesel research programs that evaluate alternative feedstock and process technologies with near-term commercial potential.

$167,740/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Petroleum Engineers

Devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs. Oversee drilling and offer technical advice.

$141,280/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Environmental Engineers

Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.

$104,170/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers

Conduct subsurface surveys to identify the characteristics of potential land or mining development sites. May specify the ground support systems, processes, and equipment for safe, economical, and environmentally sound extraction or underground construction activities. May inspect areas for unsafe geological conditions, equipment, and working conditions. May design, implement, and coordinate mine safety programs.

$101,020/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Civil Engineers

Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems.

$99,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Transportation Engineers

Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.

$99,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water/Wastewater Engineers

Design or oversee projects involving provision of potable water, disposal of wastewater and sewage, or prevention of flood-related damage. Prepare environmental documentation for water resources, regulatory program compliance, data management and analysis, and field work. Perform hydraulic modeling and pipeline design.

$99,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Engineers, All Other

All engineers not listed separately.

Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar

Design, develop, or evaluate energy-related projects or programs to reduce energy costs or improve energy efficiency during the designing, building, or remodeling stages of construction. May specialize in electrical systems; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; green buildings; lighting; air quality; or energy procurement.

Mechatronics Engineers

Research, design, develop, or test automation, intelligent systems, smart devices, or industrial systems control.

About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Walla Walla University, approximately 25% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 6 similar programs in WA. Actual outcomes may vary.