Engineering, General: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 29 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$123,834 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.
$123,834Median year-4 earnings
$19,219Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$123,834Median reported earnings · year 4
$127,076Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
86thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
29Reporting programs
29With 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
- $85,144
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 6
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $75,246
- Federal debt
- $10,841
- Reporting programs
- 54
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $88,063
- Federal debt
- $26,978
- Reporting programs
- 59
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $123,834
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 29
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $138,039
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $122,252
- 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$118,501National median$123,83475th percentile$126,854
29 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of California, Los Angeles$177,8582University of Wisconsin-Madison$147,1013University of Colorado Boulder$146,9644North Carolina State University at Raleigh$145,8895University of Colorado Colorado Springs$133,0796University of Nebraska-Lincoln$128,9747Ohio University-Main Campus$127,7698University of Maryland-College Park$126,8549University of Connecticut$125,71210University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus$125,712Observed 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.
Engineers, All OtherSOC 17-2199 · 2 crosswalk linksArchitectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 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 | University of California, Los AngelesMaster's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $177,858 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,548 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonMaster's Degree | Madison, WI | $147,101 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,354 |
| 3 | University of Colorado BoulderMaster's Degree | Boulder, CO | $146,964 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,346 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at RaleighMaster's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $145,889 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,303 |
| 5 | University of Colorado Colorado SpringsMaster's Degree | Colorado Springs, CO | $133,079 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,788 |
| 6 | University of Nebraska-LincolnMaster's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $128,974 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,747 |
| 7 | Ohio University-Main CampusMaster's Degree | Athens, OH | $127,769 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,637 |
| 8 | University of Maryland-College ParkMaster's Degree | College Park, MD | $126,854 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,678 |
| 9 | University of ConnecticutMaster's Degree | Storrs, CT | $125,712 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,097 |
| 10 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusMaster's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $125,712 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,875 |
| 11 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointMaster's Degree | Groton, CT | $125,712 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,807 |
| 12 | University of Connecticut-StamfordMaster's Degree | Stamford, CT | $125,712 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,798 |
| 13 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusMaster's Degree | Hartford, CT | $125,712 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,403 |
| 14 | Case Western Reserve UniversityMaster's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $125,093 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,190 |
| 15 | University of ArkansasMaster's Degree | Fayetteville, AR | $123,834 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,209 |
| 16 | University of the PacificMaster's Degree | Stockton, CA | $123,810 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,447 |
| 17 | University of California, RiversideMaster's Degree | Riverside, CA | $122,820 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,304 |
| 18 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionMaster's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $120,896 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,967 |
| 19 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionMaster's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $120,896 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 20 | Northeastern UniversityMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $119,842 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,915 |
| 21 | Northeastern University Professional ProgramsMaster's Degree | Boston, MA | $119,842 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 22 | University of Alabama at BirminghamMaster's Degree | Birmingham, AL | $118,501 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,749 |
| 23 | University of Wisconsin-PlattevilleMaster's Degree | Platteville, WI | $115,411 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,032 |
| 24 | Colorado State University-Fort CollinsMaster's Degree | Fort Collins, CO | $111,730 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,279 |
| 25 | Rowan UniversityMaster's Degree | Glassboro, NJ | $104,475 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,408 |
| 26 | Old Dominion UniversityMaster's Degree | Norfolk, VA | $103,194 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,638 |
| 27 | Saint Louis UniversityMaster's Degree | Saint Louis, MO | $102,295 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,398 |
| 28 | Morgan State UniversityMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $101,719 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,985 |
| 29 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeMaster's Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $100,965 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,014 |
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.