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 $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 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.)
| # | 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.