Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians: is this associate's degree worth it?
National picture across 7 reporting college programs.
10-year estimate · Positive payoff
+$60,656 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting associate's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 2-year duration.
The estimate clears the cost within ten years, though your price and time to finish may change the result.
6.6 yrsModeled economic break-even
+51%Modeled 10-year ROI
$62,985Observed earnings · year 4
$44,925Maximum annual price for positive 10-year payoff
The price benchmark is $30,328 per year below this threshold.
Includes direct price and earnings forgone while studying. Assumes $45,000 in alternative annual earnings and no wage growth. How we calculate itFour useful answers about Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians
How much do Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians associate's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $62,985 four years after completion across reportable associate's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $14,589. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $53,275 to $64,685 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 3 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$89,850
$14,000Current college-wide context+$61,850
$15,000Current college-wide context+$59,850
$28,000Annual price+$33,850
$42,000Annual price+$5,850
$56,000Annual price−$22,150
$70,000Annual price−$50,150
Observed national outcomes
$62,985Median reported earnings · year 4
$56,280Average reported earnings · year 5
$14,589Median federal debt
77thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
Not availableIPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
7With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 0 matched college records and is not extrapolated to colleges without a match.
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts, not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $62,985
- Federal debt
- $14,589
- Reporting programs
- 7
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $71,688
- Federal debt
- $23,359
- Reporting programs
- 10
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $110,606
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$53,275National median$62,98575th percentile$64,685
7 programs report year‑4 earnings.DECISION CHECK
What to compare before choosing a program
The national result is only the starting point. Price, debt and the college-level earnings spread can materially change the payoff.
PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$68,359Observed year-4 earnings$53,150
Northern Kentucky University$8,191 price · $92,849 earningsNew England Institute of Technology$36,483 price · $68,359 earningsNorthcentral Technical College$10,303 price · $64,685 earningsFerris State University$8,624 price · $62,985 earningsSoutheast Technical College$17,400 price · $53,777 earningsNorth Dakota State College of Science$11,261 price · $53,275 earningsNortheast Wisconsin Technical College$9,918 price · $53,150 earnings
$8,191Annual college-wide average net price$17,400
Put the same degree side by side.
Start with the leading reportable programs, then change the selection to match your shortlist.
Compare 3 programs →Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Narrow one field and credential by location, sector and debt, then compare two to four programs side by side.
7 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1Northern Kentucky University$92,8492New England Institute of Technology$68,3593Northcentral Technical College$64,6854Ferris State University$62,9855Southeast Technical College$53,7776North Dakota State College of Science$53,2757Northeast Wisconsin Technical College$53,150Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations, wages and demand
Official CIP–SOC links show where this field can lead. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same occupation.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →12%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other$78,350 median wage59,930 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3029+2.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 5.4k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$47,030–$118,330 10th–90th percentileArchitectural and Civil Drafters$66,150 median wage103,700 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3011+5.2% projected employment, 2025–35 · 9.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$46,260–$99,710 10th–90th percentileCivil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950 median wage68,520 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3022+3.2% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$44,220–$98,980 10th–90th percentile
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 employment projections. Career context is separate from graduate outcomes.
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario, not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Kentucky UniversityAssociate's Degree | Highland Heights, KY | $92,849 | $22,738 | +350% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | New England Institute of TechnologyAssociate's Degree | East Greenwich, RI | $68,359 | Not available | +43% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Northcentral Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Wausau, WI | $64,685 | Not available | +78% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Ferris State UniversityAssociate's Degree | Big Rapids, MI | $62,985 | $14,589 | +68% | Positive payoff |
| 5 | Southeast Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Sioux Falls, SD | $53,777 | Not available | -30% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | North Dakota State College of ScienceAssociate's Degree | Wahpeton, ND | $53,275 | Not available | -26% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | Northeast Wisconsin Technical CollegeAssociate's Degree | Green Bay, WI | $53,150 | $14,188 | -26% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.