Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 62 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$134,287 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$134,287Median year-4 earnings
$19,976Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$134,287Median reported earnings · year 4
$141,960Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
92thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
62Reporting programs
62With year-4 earnings
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.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $55,333
- Federal debt
- $6,333
- Reporting programs
- 2
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $56,769
- Federal debt
- $20,000
- Reporting programs
- 2
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $98,640
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Reporting programs
- 268
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $134,287
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 62
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $222,994
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $138,018
- 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$117,876National median$134,28775th percentile$146,079
62 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1The University of Texas at Austin$219,7052Carnegie Mellon University$209,8473Massachusetts Institute of Technology$199,2454Santa Clara University$196,7865Stanford University$181,7056University of Southern California$180,4687University of California, Los Angeles$174,7988University of Colorado Boulder$170,3759University of California, San Diego$169,98710California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$158,977Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 4 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 4 crosswalk linksElectronics Engineers, Except ComputerSOC 17-2072 · 3 crosswalk linksElectrical EngineersSOC 17-2071 · 2 crosswalk linksEngineers, All OtherSOC 17-2199 · 2 crosswalk linksAerospace EngineersSOC 17-2011 · 1 crosswalk linksComputer Hardware EngineersSOC 17-2061 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at AustinMaster's Degree | Austin, TX | $219,705 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,857 |
| 2 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityMaster's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $209,847 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,944 |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Cambridge, MA | $199,245 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,111 |
| 4 | Santa Clara UniversityMaster's Degree | Santa Clara, CA | $196,786 | Not available | Baseline needed | $50,062 |
| 5 | Stanford UniversityMaster's Degree | Stanford, CA | $181,705 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,807 |
| 6 | University of Southern CaliforniaMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $180,468 | Not available | Baseline needed | $32,740 |
| 7 | University of California, Los AngelesMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $174,798 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,548 |
| 8 | University of Colorado BoulderMaster's Degree | Boulder, CO | $170,375 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,346 |
| 9 | University of California, San DiegoMaster's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $169,987 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,470 |
| 10 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoMaster's Degree | San Luis Obispo, CA | $158,977 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,665 |
| 11 | Cornell UniversityMaster's Degree | Ithaca, NY | $156,103 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,690 |
| 12 | Northeastern UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $155,483 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,915 |
| 13 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $152,001 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,590 |
| 14 | Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $148,887 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 15 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusMaster's Degree | Seattle, WA | $146,735 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,091 |
| 16 | University of Washington-Bothell CampusMaster's Degree | Bothell, WA | $146,735 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,319 |
| 17 | University of ArizonaMaster's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $146,079 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,674 |
| 18 | University of California, DavisMaster's Degree | Davis, CA | $145,917 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,741 |
| 19 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $143,627 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,116 |
| 20 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignMaster's Degree | Champaign, IL | $142,725 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,355 |
| 21 | The University of Texas at DallasMaster's Degree | Richardson, TX | $142,523 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,267 |
| 22 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusMaster's Degree | Denver, CO | $140,670 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,900 |
| 23 | Worcester Polytechnic InstituteMaster's Degree | Worcester, MA | $139,976 | Not available | Baseline needed | $43,071 |
| 24 | Portland State UniversityMaster's Degree | Portland, OR | $139,274 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,552 |
| 25 | Purdue University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $137,523 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,600 |
| 26 | University of Massachusetts-LowellMaster's Degree | Lowell, MA | $137,144 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,163 |
| 27 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborMaster's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $136,188 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,138 |
| 28 | Iowa State UniversityMaster's Degree | Ames, IA | $136,132 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,589 |
| 29 | University of New Mexico-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $136,076 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,489 |
| 30 | New York UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $135,852 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,050 |
| 31 | University of Michigan-DearbornMaster's Degree | Dearborn, MI | $134,543 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,492 |
| 32 | Ohio State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Columbus, OH | $134,031 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,339 |
| 33 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusMaster's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $132,129 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,434 |
| 34 | North Carolina State University at RaleighMaster's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $131,229 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,303 |
| 35 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityMaster's Degree | Blacksburg, VA | $130,029 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,953 |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonMaster's Degree | Madison, WI | $129,743 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,354 |
| 37 | Oakland UniversityMaster's Degree | Rochester Hills, MI | $128,958 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,120 |
| 38 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $127,864 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 39 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $127,864 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 40 | New Jersey Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Newark, NJ | $127,494 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,504 |
| 41 | Drexel UniversityMaster's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $127,488 | Not available | Baseline needed | $38,509 |
| 42 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusMaster's Degree | Norman, OK | $125,095 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,300 |
| 43 | Stevens Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Hoboken, NJ | $123,214 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,346 |
| 44 | Ohio University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Athens, OH | $123,110 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,637 |
| 45 | University of FloridaMaster's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $121,478 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,541 |
| 46 | California State University, Los AngelesMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $118,058 | Not available | Baseline needed | $3,967 |
| 47 | Binghamton UniversityMaster's Degree | Vestal, NY | $117,876 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,620 |
| 48 | Rochester Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Rochester, NY | $116,674 | Not available | Baseline needed | $34,906 |
| 49 | Brigham Young UniversityMaster's Degree | Provo, UT | $115,974 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,564 |
| 50 | Cleveland State UniversityMaster's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $115,285 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,764 |
| 51 | Wayne State UniversityMaster's Degree | Detroit, MI | $115,160 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,766 |
| 52 | University of Missouri-Kansas CityMaster's Degree | Kansas City, MO | $111,394 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,310 |
| 53 | Clarkson UniversityMaster's Degree | Potsdam, NY | $109,601 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,305 |
| 54 | Indiana University-IndianapolisMaster's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $109,536 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,668 |
| 55 | University of DaytonMaster's Degree | Dayton, OH | $108,507 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,533 |
| 56 | Wright State University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Dayton, OH | $107,832 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,415 |
| 57 | Lehigh UniversityMaster's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $106,767 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,931 |
| 58 | Stony Brook UniversityMaster's Degree | Stony Brook, NY | $104,443 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,784 |
| 59 | University of South FloridaMaster's Degree | Tampa, FL | $102,978 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 60 | University of LouisvilleMaster's Degree | Louisville, KY | $100,750 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,988 |
| 61 | Florida International UniversityMaster's Degree | Miami, FL | $99,172 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,288 |
| 62 | New York Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Old Westbury, NY | $98,474 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,443 |
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.