Engineering-Related Fields: is this master's degree worth it?
National picture across 40 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$127,032 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.
$127,032Median year-4 earnings
$22,238Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$127,032Median reported earnings · year 4
$130,678Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
89thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
40Reporting programs
40With 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
- $83,619
- Federal debt
- $17,625
- Reporting programs
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $90,275
- Federal debt
- $25,368
- Reporting programs
- 34
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $127,032
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 40
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $180,549
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $119,889
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 2
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$111,086National median$127,03275th percentile$136,480
40 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Stanford University$206,0932Tufts University$162,5023Washington State University$155,6394Duke University$144,6815Johns Hopkins University$143,9846University of Kansas$141,1017George Washington University$139,5678University of Pennsylvania$138,9649Massachusetts Maritime Academy$138,71110Stevens Institute of Technology$138,535Observed 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 · 3 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 2 crosswalk linksIndustrial Engineering Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3026 · 2 crosswalk linksIndustrial EngineersSOC 17-2112 · 2 crosswalk linksCommercial and Industrial DesignersSOC 27-1021 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherSOC 17-3029 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineers, All OtherSOC 17-2199 · 1 crosswalk linksFacilities ManagersSOC 11-3013 · 1 crosswalk linksIndustrial Production ManagersSOC 11-3051 · 1 crosswalk linksNO MATCHSOC 99-9999 · 1 crosswalk linksPostsecondary Teachers, All OtherSOC 25-1199 · 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 | Stanford UniversityMaster's Degree | Stanford, CA | $206,093 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,807 |
| 2 | Tufts UniversityMaster's Degree | Medford, MA | $162,502 | Not available | Baseline needed | $39,998 |
| 3 | Washington State UniversityMaster's Degree | Pullman, WA | $155,639 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,971 |
| 4 | Duke UniversityMaster's Degree | Durham, NC | $144,681 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,612 |
| 5 | Johns Hopkins UniversityMaster's Degree | Baltimore, MD | $143,984 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 6 | University of KansasMaster's Degree | Lawrence, KS | $141,101 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,059 |
| 7 | George Washington UniversityMaster's Degree | Washington, DC | $139,567 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,586 |
| 8 | University of PennsylvaniaMaster's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $138,964 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,699 |
| 9 | Massachusetts Maritime AcademyMaster's Degree | Buzzards Bay, MA | $138,711 | Not available | Baseline needed | $21,582 |
| 10 | Stevens Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Hoboken, NJ | $138,535 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,346 |
| 11 | Northwestern UniversityMaster's Degree | Evanston, IL | $136,480 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,167 |
| 12 | Drexel UniversityMaster's Degree | Philadelphia, PA | $132,745 | Not available | Baseline needed | $38,509 |
| 13 | Eastern Michigan UniversityMaster's Degree | Ypsilanti, MI | $132,073 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,407 |
| 14 | Oakland UniversityMaster's Degree | Rochester Hills, MI | $132,052 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,120 |
| 15 | Florida Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Melbourne, FL | $131,919 | Not available | Baseline needed | $35,639 |
| 16 | University of Michigan-DearbornMaster's Degree | Dearborn, MI | $131,391 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,492 |
| 17 | Clarkson UniversityMaster's Degree | Potsdam, NY | $130,454 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,305 |
| 18 | University of North Carolina at CharlotteMaster's Degree | Charlotte, NC | $128,510 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,435 |
| 19 | University of South FloridaMaster's Degree | Tampa, FL | $127,663 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,812 |
| 20 | New York UniversityMaster's Degree | New York, NY | $127,277 | Not available | Baseline needed | $37,050 |
| 21 | South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyMaster's Degree | Rapid City, SD | $126,787 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,183 |
| 22 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityMaster's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $126,105 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,944 |
| 23 | Colorado School of MinesMaster's Degree | Golden, CO | $123,855 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,690 |
| 24 | Central Michigan UniversityMaster's Degree | Mount Pleasant, MI | $123,591 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,597 |
| 25 | Rowan UniversityMaster's Degree | Glassboro, NJ | $121,734 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,408 |
| 26 | The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaMaster's Degree | Chattanooga, TN | $121,621 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,265 |
| 27 | New Jersey Institute of TechnologyMaster's Degree | Newark, NJ | $119,665 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,504 |
| 28 | University of LouisvilleMaster's Degree | Louisville, KY | $119,245 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,988 |
| 29 | University of ArkansasMaster's Degree | Fayetteville, AR | $116,774 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,209 |
| 30 | Christian Brothers UniversityMaster's Degree | Memphis, TN | $114,903 | Not available | Baseline needed | $9,854 |
| 31 | Louisiana Tech UniversityMaster's Degree | Ruston, LA | $111,086 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,864 |
| 32 | Missouri University of Science and TechnologyMaster's Degree | Rolla, MO | $109,976 | Not available | Baseline needed | $16,298 |
| 33 | Case Western Reserve UniversityMaster's Degree | Cleveland, OH | $109,243 | Not available | Baseline needed | $41,190 |
| 34 | National UniversityMaster's Degree | San Diego, CA | $108,725 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,878 |
| 35 | Missouri State University-SpringfieldMaster's Degree | Springfield, MO | $103,408 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,613 |
| 36 | Arkansas State UniversityMaster's Degree | Jonesboro, AR | $102,712 | Not available | Baseline needed | $12,366 |
| 37 | The University of Texas at TylerMaster's Degree | Tyler, TX | $98,896 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,323 |
| 38 | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignMaster's Degree | Champaign, IL | $97,705 | Not available | Baseline needed | $14,355 |
| 39 | Indiana University-IndianapolisMaster's Degree | Indianapolis, IN | $87,908 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,668 |
| 40 | Lehigh UniversityMaster's Degree | Bethlehem, PA | $86,268 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,931 |
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.