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First, some facts. Of the Civil Engineering graduates from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:
These are estimates based on AI analysis of 28 LinkedIn profiles (see below).
The verdict? Great! Overall, with an average relevance score of 92%, Civil Engineering graduates from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo have a substantially higher likelihood (+25%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:
And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.
Also, after graduating, only 28% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Civil Engineering graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.
See the details:
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Relevance score: 100% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.
DEGREE INFOGraduated in 2021 from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Civil Engineering. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATIONProject Engineer/ BIM Engineer Intern Bernards Jun 2021 - Present ABOUTNo information provided. |
The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:
After looking at the job paths of folks who’ve graduated with a Civil Engineering degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, it seems like many of them are finding their way back into roles that are pretty closely tied to what they studied. A good chunk of graduates have landed jobs as engineers, whether that’s as structural engineers, project managers, or engineering technicians. These positions mostly require the knowledge and skills they picked up during their studies, so it’s great to see that direct connection to civil engineering principles at play in their work. For instance, titles like Associate Civil Engineer and Engineering Technician often involve tasks that use the core competencies from their degree, keeping them engaged in the field they love.
However, it’s not all perfect—some graduates have ended up in positions that don't closely relate to civil engineering. Roles like custodian or parts driver definitely aren't scratching that engineering itch, right? Even some jobs in management or teaching seem a bit detached from the hard-hat-and-blueprint world of civil engineering. While almost half of the profiles reviewed were in relevant engineering roles, many also found themselves in jobs that don’t leverage their specialized education as much as we’d hope. Overall, it appears that a majority of these graduates are tying their careers back to their studies, but there are still significant exceptions where graduates ventured into roles not aligned with civil engineering at all.
Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Civil Engineering graduates (this is across all Civil Engineering graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo):
Looking at the career trajectories of graduates from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo with degrees in Civil Engineering, it seems like most have found their way into relevant engineering roles, especially in the early stages of their careers. Right after graduation, many graduates land positions such as engineering aides, assistants, or interns. For instance, graduates from around 2019 to 2023 typically start with internships at reputable engineering firms and transition into roles like project engineers or assistant engineers. This trend indicates that these graduates are generally building solid careers aligned with their field of study.
As time goes on, around 5 to 10 years after graduating, many of these individuals continue to climb the ladder in their respective fields. A good number have become project managers, senior engineers, or even moved into leadership roles like Superintendents or Directors at engineering firms. While there are some detours—like a few taking on unrelated jobs or becoming educators for a while—most manage to stay within the civil engineering domain, developing valuable experience and advancing steadily in their careers. Overall, it looks like a majority of these graduates have had successful, relevant careers in civil engineering, which is great to see if you're considering this path yourself!
Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, or Cal Poly as it’s commonly called, is definitely not a walk in the park. It's a pretty rigorous program that combines a lot of challenging math, physics, and technical courses with hands-on projects. Cal Poly is known for its "learn by doing" approach, which means you’ll be doing plenty of labs and practical work alongside the theory, and that can be both rewarding and tough. Overall, it's regarded as one of the more demanding engineering programs out there, so if you're up for a challenge and ready to put in the work, it can be a great experience. Just be prepared for late nights, group projects, and a stack of textbooks!
Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering.
Looking at these Civil Engineering graduates from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, it seems like many of them have been moving up the ladder and earning decent salaries over the years. Most started with internships or entry-level jobs, but as they gained experience, they progressed to roles like project managers, senior engineers, and even directors, which usually come with pretty good pay. For instance, the graduates who became project managers or supervising engineers are likely making a solid income, and the ones in long-term positions with reputable companies have good earning potential. Overall, while some early roles may not have paid too well, the general trend shows these grads are doing pretty well financially now!
Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering (this is across all Civil Engineering graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo). This may or may not be useful:
Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering (ordered by the average relevance score of their Civil Engineering graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:
