Engineering, General
Offered at 778 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 59 | $74,477 | $87,587 | — |
| Associate | 357 | $66,861 | $76,332 | $10,500 |
| Bachelor's | 191 | $72,468 | $92,793 | $25,531 |
| Master's | 110 | $106,841 | $127,270 | — |
| Doctoral | 42 | — | — | — |
| Professional | 2 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 17 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $74,477, versus $72,468 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | PA | $76,614 | $95,427 | — |
| 2 | Cabrillo College | CA | — | $90,336 | — |
| 3 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona | PA | $74,477 | $87,587 | — |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks | PA | $74,477 | $87,587 | — |
| 5 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus | PA | $74,477 | $87,587 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Canyons | CA | — | $101,633 | — |
| 2 | Northern Virginia Community College | VA | — | $88,561 | $10,500 |
| 3 | North Shore Community College | MA | — | $87,488 | — |
| 4 | Anne Arundel Community College | MD | — | $87,307 | — |
| 5 | Henry Ford College | MI | — | $87,269 | — |
| 6 | San Jacinto Community College | TX | — | $87,017 | — |
| 7 | Chattanooga State Community College | TN | — | $86,853 | — |
| 8 | Montgomery College | MD | — | $85,768 | — |
| 9 | Piedmont Virginia Community College | VA | — | $84,425 | — |
| 10 | Oklahoma City Community College | OK | — | $82,861 | — |
| 11 | Schoolcraft Community College District | MI | — | $82,457 | — |
| 12 | Hudson Valley Community College | NY | — | $82,288 | — |
| 13 | Germanna Community College | VA | — | $81,948 | — |
| 14 | Virginia Western Community College | VA | — | $81,831 | — |
| 15 | Austin Community College District | TX | $69,746 | $81,430 | $23,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvey Mudd College | CA | $95,545 | $149,465 | $26,000 |
| 2 | Southern Methodist University | TX | — | $146,126 | — |
| 3 | Franklin W Olin College of Engineering | MA | $89,389 | $136,496 | $13,771 |
| 4 | University of California-Davis | CA | $79,111 | $126,694 | — |
| 5 | Brown University | RI | $87,175 | $121,142 | $15,000 |
| 6 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | — | $120,035 | — |
| 7 | Dartmouth College | NH | — | $117,107 | $21,500 |
| 8 | Trinity College | CT | $71,068 | $110,821 | $18,000 |
| 9 | McNeese State University | LA | $73,828 | $110,406 | $20,199 |
| 10 | Michigan State University | MI | $79,320 | $110,378 | $22,264 |
| 11 | Wentworth Institute of Technology | MA | $77,038 | $107,194 | — |
| 12 | Northwest Nazarene University | ID | $78,644 | $106,167 | — |
| 13 | John Brown University | AR | — | $103,466 | — |
| 14 | Wilkes University | PA | $77,164 | $102,013 | — |
| 15 | Texas Christian University | TX | $78,978 | $99,693 | $21,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $148,183 | $178,356 | — |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $123,302 | $153,959 | — |
| 3 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | — | $144,284 | — |
| 4 | University of Colorado Boulder | CO | $143,666 | $143,874 | — |
| 5 | University of California-Riverside | CA | $118,979 | $136,730 | — |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville | WI | $110,282 | $135,622 | — |
| 7 | Northeastern University | MA | $116,350 | $135,346 | — |
| 8 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | $116,350 | $135,346 | — |
| 9 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | CO | $125,541 | $135,013 | — |
| 10 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $132,800 | — | — |
| 11 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $112,208 | $132,414 | — |
| 12 | University of the Pacific | CA | $84,545 | $130,484 | — |
| 13 | Vanderbilt University | TN | $129,720 | — | — |
| 14 | University of Arkansas | AR | $107,773 | $128,656 | — |
| 15 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln | NE | $128,439 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus | NM | — | $149,802 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do engineering, general graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in engineering, general reports median earnings of $72,468. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
