Systems Engineering: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 12 reporting college programs.
+$448,030 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
Observed earnings clearly outpace the comparison earnings and estimated education cost in this scenario.
Observed national outcomes
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.
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.
See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Virginia-Main Campus$144,8302Massachusetts Maritime Academy$125,1913University of Florida$122,2994George Washington University$120,9765Washington University in St Louis$119,2976George Mason University$114,8157University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign$106,8058University of Arizona$100,4689Kennesaw State University$89,69610University of North Carolina at Charlotte$84,648Observed 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.
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 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $144,830 | $19,500 | +275% | Strong payoff |
| 2 | Massachusetts Maritime AcademyBachelor's Degree | Buzzards Bay, MA | $125,191 | $27,000 | +201% | Strong payoff |
| 3 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $122,299 | $19,250 | +275% | Strong payoff |
| 4 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $120,976 | Not available | +133% | Strong payoff |
| 5 | Washington University in St LouisBachelor's Degree | St. Louis, MO | $119,297 | $20,500 | +178% | Strong payoff |
| 6 | George Mason UniversityBachelor's Degree | Fairfax, VA | $114,815 | $21,000 | +177% | Strong payoff |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignBachelor's Degree | Champaign, IL | $106,805 | $17,800 | +160% | Strong payoff |
| 8 | University of ArizonaBachelor's Degree | Tucson, AZ | $100,468 | $18,250 | +125% | Strong payoff |
| 9 | Kennesaw State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kennesaw, GA | $89,696 | $31,000 | +86% | Positive payoff |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteBachelor's Degree | Charlotte, NC | $84,648 | $26,000 | +64% | Positive payoff |
| 11 | Texas A&M International UniversityBachelor's Degree | Laredo, TX | $60,126 | $10,243 | -22% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | Otterbein UniversityBachelor's Degree | Westerville, OH | Not available | $27,000 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | $19,237 |
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.