What can you do with a Civil Engineering degree from Michigan State University?

First, some facts. Of the Civil Engineering graduates from Michigan State University 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 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Great! Overall, with an average relevance score of 94%, Civil Engineering graduates from Michigan State University have a substantially higher likelihood (+27%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

Average score: 94%
Average relevance score across all fields: 67%

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

× Chart

Also, after graduating, only 0% 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:

View a random Civil Engineering graduate from Michigan State University and our analysis:


Relevance score: 100%

We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree.

DEGREE INFO

Graduated in 2019 from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science - BS in Civil Engineering. No other secondary education since.

JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION
Graduate Engineer
City of Elkhart; Public Works & Utilities
Jul 2019 - Apr 2022
As a Graduate Engineer at the City of Elkhart, this position directly utilizes the civil engineering knowledge and skills acquired during the Bachelor's degree, making it highly relevant.

Engineer
Wade Trim
Mar 2022 - Present
The role of Engineer at Wade Trim significantly employs civil engineering concepts and practices on a daily basis, thereby confirming its strong relevance to the Bachelor's degree.

ABOUT

No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Civil Engineering degree from Michigan State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:


From looking at this list, it seems like most of the jobs held by graduates in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University are pretty closely related to their field of study. A lot of them have landed roles like Project Engineer, Senior Project Manager, or various engineering positions at firms and government departments. These roles definitely require them to use the knowledge and skills they've gained from their education, dealing with real-world projects that relate closely to civil engineering principles. For instance, the positions of Design Engineer and Construction Inspector are great examples of jobs that align well with civil engineering background and expertise.

However, not every role has stuck strictly to civil engineering-related tasks. There are examples like the Ski Instructor job, which has zero relevance to engineering skills, and even positions like Manufacturing Engineer that, while they may use some problem-solving abilities, don't really tap into civil engineering fundamentals. Overall, graduates seem to be doing well in finding jobs that truly resonate with their degrees, but there are certainly a few exceptions where people have ventured into fields that don’t strongly align with civil engineering knowledge.

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 Michigan State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Civil Engineering graduates from Michigan State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Graduates from Michigan State University with a degree in Civil Engineering tend to follow a pretty solid career path. Right out of college, many of them land jobs in engineering roles, often starting as project engineers or in similar positions. For example, graduates who finished their degrees in 2018 and 2019 kicked off their careers in roles like project engineers and graduate engineers, which is typical for fresh grads in this field. It's clear that people are managing to get relevant first jobs that align with their studies, which is a great sign! There are a few exceptions, like the ski instructor position taken up by one grad, but those seem to be more of a temporary gig before diving into the engineering roles.

As we look five to ten years down the line, it appears that many of these graduates have progressed to more advanced roles that still tie back to civil engineering. For instance, within just a few years, some have moved up to positions like Senior Project Manager or Design Engineer, indicating a healthy professional growth trajectory. Others take on specialized roles, like GPS Engineer or Manufacturing Engineer, showing that the field can branch out into various sectors. Overall, the trajectory for these MSU graduates seems promising, with a good number of them sticking closely to their field and climbing the career ladder rather than veering off into unrelated work. So, if you're considering majoring in Civil Engineering there, it looks like you'll have some solid job prospects after you graduate!

How hard is a Civil Engineering degree from Michigan State University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering can be pretty challenging, and that’s true for Michigan State University as well. You’ll be diving into a mix of tough math, physics, and engineering principles, which can be a lot to handle if you’re not super into those subjects. Projects and labs add an extra layer of complexity because they often require teamwork and problem-solving skills on top of the technical stuff. It's definitely more demanding than some other degrees, but if you're passionate about it and willing to put in the effort, it can also be really rewarding. Just be ready to hit the books and manage your time well!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 5 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering.

Do Civil Engineering graduates from Michigan State University tend to make good money?

Looking at the job histories of these Civil Engineering grads from Michigan State University, it sounds like they’re on solid financial footing, especially for recent grads. Most of them have landed pretty respectable positions right after school, with some even managing to jump into senior roles not long into their careers. For instance, the 2014 grad has been a Senior Project Manager for quite a while now, which usually pays well above average. The ones from 2018 onward are climbing the ladder quickly too, transitioning from entry-level to more significant roles in just a few years. Overall, while I can't pinpoint exact figures, it seems like these engineers are likely making decent money and have good prospects in their field.

What buzzwords do Civil Engineering graduates use to describe themselves?

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 Michigan State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Civil Engineering?

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:

College Score Count
California State University, Long Beach 100 10
California State University-Long Beach 97 11
University of Missouri-Columbia 96 13
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 96 14
San Jose State University 95 11
University of Arkansas 95 10
Michigan State University 94 10
Northeastern University 94 15
University of Utah 93 11
University of Wisconsin-Platteville 93 11
University of Washington 92 16
Brigham Young University 92 18
Iowa State University 92 18
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 92 28
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona 92 36
Oregon State University 92 13
University of Massachusetts Amherst 92 12
University of Nevada, Reno 92 13
Missouri University of Science and Technology 92 11
University of Central Florida 91 15
Manhattan College 91 18
Clarkson University 91 11
Florida International University 90 10
University of Wisconsin-Madison 90 16
The University of Texas at El Paso 90 10
Michigan Technological University 90 10
University of California, Davis 89 21
University of Delaware 89 16
Rowan University 89 10
San Diego State University 88 13
Arizona State University 87 16
University of South Florida 87 10
Auburn University 87 17
University of North Carolina at Charlotte 87 10
University of South Alabama 87 10
Virginia Tech 86 13
New Jersey Institute of Technology 86 31
Texas A&M University 85 38
Florida State University 85 15
North Carolina State University 85 20
Texas Tech University 85 12
Wentworth Institute of Technology 85 10
The Ohio State University 84 19
California State University-Sacramento 84 29
University of Florida 83 17
Louisiana State University 83 25
University of Kentucky 83 10
Penn State University 82 32
The University of Texas at Arlington 82 15
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 81 15
West Virginia University 81 10
University of Maine 81 11
Colorado State University 79 19
Washington State University 79 16
North Dakota State University 79 10
The University of Texas at Austin 77 17
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities 77 10
Georgia Institute of Technology 77 17
Mississippi State University 76 16
Clemson University 74 20
University of Colorado Boulder 72 11
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 70 11
Purdue University 69 22
United States Military Academy at West Point 43 10