Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Computer Engineering bachelor's degree outcomes at University of Illinois Chicago

Chicago, IL · Public · Federal field 1409

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$6,324 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
21.4% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$99,228 / year
10-year scenario
+158% · Strong payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$102,691 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+13%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$71,148$80,522
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
21Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
28Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
49Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

496Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
44Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
363Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
167Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$102,691$67,883 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 20 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$10,974

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$22,000

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$102,691

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$233/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$10,974Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$27,521Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE77.3%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE61.6%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$71,148Year 1
$102,691Year 4
$80,522Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

2.7% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$8,558
Estimated loan payment$233
49borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$102,691 vs. $109,015

$6,324 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,610 median wageIL estimate · 8,900 jobs · 11-9041+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$135,430 median wageIL estimate · 1,040 jobs · 25-1032+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeDatabase Architects$142,500 median wageIL estimate · 1,590 jobs · 15-1243+9.4% projected U.S. growth · 3.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Hardware Engineers$133,220 median wageIL estimate · 1,420 jobs · 17-2061+9.1% projected U.S. growth · 4.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeComputer Network Architects$132,790 median wageIL estimate · 7,810 jobs · 15-1241+7.7% projected U.S. growth · 9.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSoftware Developers$132,110 median wageIL estimate · 56,310 jobs · 15-1252+10.2% projected U.S. growth · 95.3k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeSoftware Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$104,910 median wageIL estimate · 6,530 jobs · 15-1253+5.7% projected U.S. growth · 10.7k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Champaign, IL

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

$57,164 higher earnings · $1,500 less debt

Earnings
$159,855
Debt
$20,500
Annual net price
$14,355
View outcomes →
Chicago, IL

Illinois Institute of Technology

$12,239 higher earnings

Earnings
$114,930
Debt
$26,500
Annual net price
$18,425
View outcomes →
Tacoma, WA

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus

$66,879 higher earnings · $5,873 less debt · $811 lower annual net price

Earnings
$169,570
Debt
$16,127
Annual net price
$10,163
View outcomes →
Orem, UT

Utah Valley University

$18,775 higher earnings · $7,437 less debt · $4,598 lower annual net price

Earnings
$121,466
Debt
$14,563
Annual net price
$6,376
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

28 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →