Civil Engineering: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo vs University of Houston
Head-to-Head
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of Houston | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 20.7x | 21.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.4x | 9.4x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $44,300 | $38,844 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $80,673 | $74,822 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $918K | $832K |
| Median Debt | $20,424 | $18,660 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.0 months | 3.0 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 70/100 | 69/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 29.8% | 69.5% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (49% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Civil Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Civil Engineering graduates.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of Houston | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $44,300 | $38,844 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $123,980 | $88,764 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $918K | $832K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 20.7x | 21.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 7.4x | 9.4x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +26% | +22% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Civil Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | University of Houston | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $969K | $918K | $787K | $872K | $832K | $723K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 21.9x | 20.7x | 17.8x | 22.5x | 21.4x | 18.6x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 73 | 70 | 64 | 72 | 69 | 65 |
For the full AI analysis of Civil Engineering career paths, see the California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo or University of Houston program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Civil Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Civil Engineering graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | $167,740 | 14,500 | +3.8% | 41% |
| Petroleum engineers | $141,280 | 1,200 | +1.3% | 53% |
| Engineers, all other | $117,750 | 9,300 | +2.1% | 46% |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | $106,120 | 4,100 | +8.1% | 50% |
| Environmental engineers | $104,170 | 3,000 | +3.9% | 56% |
| Mining and geological engineers, including mining safety engineers | $101,020 | 400 | +0.7% | 48% |
| Civil engineers | $99,590 | 23,600 | +5.0% | 50% |