Engineering Science: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 30 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Engineering Science pays
Career outlook for Engineering Science graduates
The job market for the occupations Engineering Science graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and engineering managers | 212,500 | +3.8% | $167,740 | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineers, all other | 158,800 | +2.1% | $117,750 | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | 50,300 | +8.1% | $106,120 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Engineering Science vs similar majors
How Engineering Science stacks up against the closest fields in Engineering on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Engineering Science Engineering · this major | Operations Research | Systems Engineering | Computer Engineering | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 84 A | 94 A | 88 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $79,113 | $168,920 | $135,617 | $112,722 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $76,614 | $91,796 | $111,379 | $81,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +328% | +1,484% | +996% | +745% |
| Typical debt | $21,401 | $17,166 | $29,370 | $22,332 |
| Colleges offering it | 30 | 6 | 26 | 168 |
Engineering Science earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Engineering Science
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middlesex College Edison, NJ | Certificate | $83,642 | — | +16,789% | Strong return |
| 2 | Camden County College Blackwood, NJ | Certificate | $76,433 | — | +5,142% | Strong return |
| 3 | Raritan Valley Community College Branchburg, NJ | Certificate | $74,430 | — | +4,242% | Strong return |
| 4 | Hudson County Community College Jersey City, NJ | Certificate | $74,764 | — | +3,973% | Strong return |
| 5 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | Associate's | $88,102 | — | +3,713% | Strong return |
| 6 | Greenfield Community College Greenfield, MA | Certificate | $73,465 | — | +3,607% | Strong return |
| 7 | Nassau Community College Garden City, NY | Certificate | $69,014 | — | +3,285% | Strong return |
| 8 | Houston City College Houston, TX | Certificate | $73,244 | $11,373 | +2,758% | Strong return |
| 9 | Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell, PA | Certificate | $76,601 | — | +2,741% | Strong return |
| 10 | Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CT | Certificate | $68,209 | — | +1,916% | Strong return |
| 11 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Associate's | $109,116 | $15,000 | +1,626% | Strong return |
| 12 | SUNY Broome Community College Binghamton, NY | Certificate | $65,254 | $10,411 | +1,491% | Strong return |
| 13 | Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ | Associate's | $113,516 | $23,985 | +1,091% | Strong return |
| 14 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Associate's | $86,477 | — | +988% | Strong return |
| 15 | Dartmouth College Hanover, NH | Associate's | $99,468 | $17,083 | +735% | Strong return |
| 16 | The College of New Jersey Ewing, NJ | Associate's | $88,486 | — | +687% | Strong return |
| 17 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA | Associate's | $100,117 | $22,028 | +647% | Strong return |
| 18 | Hofstra University Hempstead, NY | Associate's | $95,740 | $27,000 | +549% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | Certificate | $107,007 | $44,331 | +403% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.