Engineering-Related Fields: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Engineering-Related Fields graduates earn a median $89,619 four years after finishing — $41,259/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 1.6 years. Federal data pools 84 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 1,845 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Engineering-Related Fields ranks #23 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 89% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $145,638 |
| 2 | New York University | NY | $114,572 |
| 3 | University of Arkansas Grantham | AR | $108,380 |
| 4 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $102,320 |
| 5 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $102,320 |
| 6 | Stevens Institute of Technology | NJ | $101,798 |
| 7 | University of Arizona | AZ | $101,557 |
| 8 | Miami University-Oxford | OH | $99,473 |
| 9 | University of Southern California | CA | $96,120 |
| 10 | Clemson University | SC | $94,449 |
| 11 | Michigan State University | MI | $94,143 |
| 12 | Michigan Technological University | MI | $93,993 |
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 Engineering-Related Fields pay grow after graduation?
From $76,149 one year out to $89,619 four years out — a $13,470 climb, or 18% 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 Engineering-Related Fields each year?
About 1,845 bachelor's graduates a year across 84 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.