Engineering-Related Fields: is this doctoral degree worth it?
National picture across 1 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$180,549 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.
$180,549Median year-4 earnings
$36,586Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Four useful answers about Engineering-Related Fields
How much do Engineering-Related Fields doctoral degree graduates earn?
The national median is $180,549 four years after completion across reportable doctoral degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
A national median federal-debt figure is not reportable for this degree in the current release.
Does the college matter for Engineering-Related Fields?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $180,549 to $180,549 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Engineering-Related Fields?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 11 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
Observed national outcomes
$180,549Median reported earnings · year 4
Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
98thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
46IPEDS 2023–24 first-major awards across matched colleges
1With year-4 earnings
The award total covers 1 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.
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$180,549National median$180,54975th percentile$180,549
1 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.
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.
1 matchesSelect up to four · showing 25 currently operating colleges
Open the full program search →See the spread, not just the national number.
1George Washington University$180,549Observed 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 →14%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Architectural and Engineering Managers$171,270 median wage220,260 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-9041+5.5% projected employment, 2025–35 · 14.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$120,810–$262,760 10th–90th percentileEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$109,270 median wage40,270 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1032+7.8% projected employment, 2025–35 · 3.9k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$61,550–$210,370 10th–90th percentileIndustrial Engineers$102,440 median wage365,740 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-2112+12.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 23.1k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$74,370–$159,860 10th–90th percentileIndustrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians$66,120 median wage75,570 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-3026+3.1% projected employment, 2025–35 · 6.6k annual openingsTypical entry education: Associate's degree$47,300–$99,150 10th–90th percentileIndustrial Production Managers$126,060 median wage246,250 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-3051+2.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 17k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$78,000–$205,520 10th–90th percentileEngineers, All Other$122,930 median wage154,070 U.S. jobs · SOC 17-2199+3.7% projected employment, 2025–35 · 8.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$66,810–$189,950 10th–90th percentileFacilities Managers$106,660 median wage156,180 U.S. jobs · SOC 11-3013+4.6% projected employment, 2025–35 · 14.2k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$64,480–$176,120 10th–90th percentileCommercial and Industrial Designers$83,910 median wage33,490 U.S. jobs · SOC 27-1021+2.4% projected employment, 2025–35 · 2.8k annual openingsTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$53,460–$139,770 10th–90th percentileEngineering 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 percentilePostsecondary Teachers, All Other$77,640 median wage149,840 U.S. jobs · SOC 25-1199+2.0% projected employment, 2025–35 · 12.5k annual openingsTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$44,300–$160,700 10th–90th percentileNO MATCHUnreported U.S. jobs · SOC 99-9999
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. 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 | George Washington UniversityDoctoral Degree | Washington, DC | $180,549 | Not available | WithheldBaseline needed | $36,586 |
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.