In an effort to address a nationwide shortage of people entering the civil engineering profession and attract young talent, the Illinois Department of Transportation has launched a hiring initiative that will pay $15,000 of eligible student loan debt annually for up to 50 new civil engineers who graduated from Illinois schools.
[Above image by Illinois DOT]
The agency said the new Higher Education Student Loan Repayment Assistance for Engineers Pilot Program will provide student loan repayment assistance in the form of an annual bonus after taxes of $15,000 a year for no more than four years.
To be eligible, the engineer must be hired by the department on or after July 1, 2024, and work at Illinois DOT for four continuous years, with payments capped at a total of $60,000, it added.
“Engineers at Illinois DOT make a positive impact on the public every day,” said Gia Biagi, secretary of the Illinois DOT, in a statement. “This program will reduce the financial burden for new engineers coming out of college and open the door to a meaningful career.”
The result of legislation proposed by State Senate Majority Caucus Whip Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), the program is one of several moves by Illinois DOT to help address a downward trend in engineering graduates and make the agency more competitive in the job market.
In late 2025, the department teamed up with the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to start an Intern to Hire program designed to attract and retain top civil engineering talent by helping college interns transition to full-time employment at the agency upon graduation.
According to the most recent data from the American Council of Engineering Companies, about 184,000 engineers retire or leave the field a year while 166,000 new engineers enter the workforce – creating an annual shortfall of close to 20,000. Likewise, engineering graduates peaked at roughly 214,000 in 2019 but declined by more than 10,000 since then, Illinois DOT noted.
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