Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Arkansas Tech University

Arkansas Tech's electrical engineering program lands graduates in $72k jobs with notably low debt of $17,100—well below both the national median ($25k) and Arkansas median ($19k). That's the good news. The concerning part is what happens next: earnings actually decline to $69k by year four, bucking the typical engineering trajectory where graduates gain experience and command higher salaries.

This pattern helps explain why the program ranks in just the 20th percentile nationally for earnings, even though it sits near the middle (40th percentile) among Arkansas programs. Compare this to University of Arkansas engineering grads who start at $77k, and the gap becomes clearer. The salary decline could reflect graduates taking positions that don't offer typical engineering advancement, or it may signal limitations in career development opportunities for Arkansas Tech alumni in this field.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24 is excellent, and the low debt load means graduates aren't trapped by payments—they can afford to be strategic about career moves. For families prioritizing affordability in engineering education, this program delivers that. But parents should ask hard questions about why earnings drop rather than rise, and whether their student might be better positioned for long-term growth at Arkansas's flagship program, especially if the cost difference is manageable.