Engineering, General

What graduates really earn, where the degree pays off most, and whether the numbers add up for you.

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$72,676

Median Earnings

$88,063

Schools Offering

ROI Grade

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $84,180Median: $88,06375th: $96,695

Best Schools for Engineering, General by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	Franklin W Olin College of Engineering MA · Private	84	$135,136	$25,171	$14,512	A
2	Cornell University NY · Private	96	$128,207	$28,690	N/A	-
3	Harvey Mudd College CA · Private	92	$122,845	$35,924	$22,240	A
4	University of California-Davis CA · Public	95	$114,228	$14,741	$15,000	A
5	Carnegie Mellon University PA · Private	97	$110,208	$31,944	N/A	-
6	Brown University RI · Private	96	$108,550	$25,184	$14,500	A
7	McNeese State University LA · Public	42	$107,319	$12,493	$27,249	B
8	Seattle Pacific University WA · Private	68	$106,291	$24,488	$27,000	B
9	Lafayette College PA · Private	92	$104,222	$34,433	N/A	-
10	Michigan State University MI · Public	79	$102,301	$19,680	$22,500	B+
11	University of Virginia-Main Campus VA · Public	95	$101,078	$21,565	N/A	-
12	North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC · Public	87	$99,838	$17,303	$30,518	B
13	Frostburg State University MD · Public	54	$99,671	$16,715	$23,750	B
14	Wentworth Institute of Technology MA · Private	82	$96,695	$34,170	$27,000	B+
15	Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ · Public	77	$94,332	$14,967	$26,113	B
16	Texas Christian University TX · Private	71	$93,753	$36,660	$22,944	B+
17	University of Missouri-Columbia MO · Public	77	$92,426	$20,268	$23,250	B+
18	James Madison University VA · Public	84	$91,761	$23,322	$25,000	B
19	University of Alabama in Huntsville AL · Public	69	$91,645	$18,796	N/A	-
20	Walla Walla University WA · Private	62	$91,473	$23,329	$27,625	B
21	George Fox University OR · Private	57	$91,427	$31,679	$27,000	B
22	John Brown University AR · Private	64	$90,783	$20,397	$25,488	B
23	Mercer University GA · Private	55	$88,413	$23,847	$26,000	B
24	University of North Carolina Asheville NC · Public	34	$88,346	$12,250	$31,000	B
25	Elizabethtown College PA · Private	66	$88,104	$26,598	$27,000	B
26	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Brandywine PA · Public	59	$88,063	$22,585	$27,000	B
27	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Hazleton PA · Public	64	$88,063	$17,597	$27,000	B
28	Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public	62	$88,063	$32,875	$27,000	B
29	Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington PA · Public	63	$88,063	$18,071	$27,000	B
30	Stony Brook University NY · Public	87	$87,517	$18,784	$20,000	B
31	The University of Tennessee-Martin TN · Public	37	$87,043	$10,701	$29,750	C+
32	Loyola University Maryland MD · Private	83	$86,585	$30,574	$27,000	B
33	Robert Morris University PA · Private	63	$86,444	$23,003	$26,000	B
34	Wilkes University PA · Private	65	$86,308	$27,743	$26,000	B+
35	Smith College MA · Private	73	$86,262	$27,579	$19,000	B
36	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities MN · Public	88	$86,148	$16,778	$21,750	B+
37	Northwest Nazarene University ID · Private	41	$85,643	$29,580	N/A	-
38	Messiah University PA · Private	51	$84,927	$26,502	$25,798	B
39	East Carolina University NC · Public	61	$84,847	$15,739	$26,978	B
40	Baylor University TX · Private	63	$84,689	$41,104	N/A	-
41	Oral Roberts University OK · Private	29	$84,649	$25,365	$26,917	B
42	Saint Vincent College PA · Private	61	$84,180	$23,510	$27,000	B
43	Minnesota State University-Mankato MN · Public	62	$82,903	$19,139	$27,627	B
44	Olivet Nazarene University IL · Private	50	$82,632	$20,729	$27,000	B
45	Hope College MI · Private	57	$82,513	$27,182	$27,000	B
46	Western Carolina University NC · Public	49	$82,500	$13,315	$25,550	B
47	Calvin University MI · Private	65	$82,326	$22,992	$23,000	B+
48	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga TN · Public	52	$81,757	$14,265	N/A	-
49	Swarthmore College PA · Private	92	$78,519	$23,149	N/A	-
50	University of Hartford CT · Private	49	$78,351	$30,282	$27,000	C+

School-by-school analysis: Engineering, General

Editorial breakdowns of how engineering, general graduates fare at the top-earning programs in our dataset.

Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

MA · Private · $135,136 4yr earnings · $14,512 median debt

Engineering, General is Olin's primary reported program: 39 graduates, $109,455 median year-one earnings, $135,136 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.133 (ROI grade A) is exceptionally clean - graduates borrow a median $14,512 and earn over $100,000 immediately out of school. This program feeds directly into software, hardware, product engineering, and robotics roles at technology companies and engineering firms, primarily in Boston and Bay Area markets. The year-four figure of $135k reflects typical senior-engineer progression after four years of compounding early career growth.

Harvey Mudd College

CA · Private · $122,845 4yr earnings · $22,240 median debt

Engineering General (53 graduates) earns $92,491 year one and $122,845 at year four, with an A grade (debt-to-earnings 0.240, median debt $22,240). Year-one engineering earnings of $92k are well above the national median for engineering bachelor's graduates. This category aggregates across Mudd's engineering disciplines (electrical, mechanical, computer). The four-year trajectory to $123k is consistent with senior engineering roles in aerospace, defense, and technology.

Brown University

RI · Private · $108,550 4yr earnings · $14,500 median debt

Engineering at Brown produces 80 graduates annually. Early-career pay of $86,416 and four-year median of $108,550 (A grade) with just $14,500 in median debt (ratio 0.168) reflect strong but not top-tier engineering outcomes. Brown's engineering program is smaller than peer Ivy programs and is more research-oriented than industry-focused. Graduates enter consulting, defense, and technology roles, with a significant share pursuing graduate study. The Brown brand amplifies individual outcomes - employers at top firms actively recruit on campus.

Exceptional Value

Is Engineering, General Worth It?

The Numbers Support This Major

If you're weighing Engineering, General, the money case is about as strong as it gets. Graduates average $72,676 four years out, well above the typical major, so the degree tends to pay for itself fast. The harder question here isn't whether it's worth it - it's where you study it.

This is a more specialized field, offered at 59 schools in our data. Fewer options means less room to optimize on cost, so weigh each aid offer closely.

The top earner here is Cornell University, where graduates pull $128,207 four years out. But an average hides a wide spread - where you go, and what you do with the degree, matter as much as the major itself.

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