Computer Engineering: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Computer Engineering graduates earn a median $109,015 four years after finishing — $60,655/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,902/yr net price ($67,608 over four years), that pays back in about 1.1 years. Federal data pools 353 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 12,191 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Computer Engineering ranks #4 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 99% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $228,705 |
| 2 | Princeton University | NJ | $214,274 |
| 3 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $194,365 |
| 4 | Duke University | NC | $174,522 |
| 5 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | $169,570 |
| 6 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus | WA | $169,570 |
| 7 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus | WA | $169,570 |
| 8 | University of Southern California | CA | $166,369 |
| 9 | Santa Clara University | CA | $163,765 |
| 10 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $159,855 |
| 11 | Bucknell University | PA | $156,885 |
| 12 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $152,422 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.
How fast does Computer Engineering pay grow after graduation?
From $85,446 one year out to $109,015 four years out — a $23,569 climb, or 28% over three years. Both are federal medians of the same graduating cohorts, so the gap reflects real wage progression rather than a change in who is measured.
How many students graduate in Computer Engineering each year?
About 12,191 bachelor's graduates a year across 353 programs in the federal file. Cohort size matters when reading the median: a field this size averages across a wide range of employers, regions and job titles.