Engineering Technology at Bemidji State University

Bemidji State's Engineering Technology program launches graduates into remarkably strong first-year earnings of $85,830—crushing the $60,529 national median by more than 40%. With debt of just under $31,000, graduates start with a very manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36. These numbers look exceptional compared to the national landscape, placing this program in the 95th percentile for earnings while keeping debt burden low.

The catch? Four years out, median earnings drop to $71,347—a 17% decline that's unusual for engineering fields, which typically see steady income growth. This is also the only Engineering Technology bachelor's program in Minnesota, so the "60th percentile" state ranking is meaningless (there's no peer comparison). More importantly, the sample size is small, meaning these figures could reflect just a handful of graduates whose career paths may not be representative. One graduate taking time off for grad school or switching industries could dramatically skew the numbers.

If your child is mechanically inclined and interested in hands-on engineering work, the strong starting salary and low debt suggest solid immediate returns. Just understand that the small cohort size makes it hard to predict whether these outcomes are typical or outliers. The earnings drop-off could signal normal career transitions rather than a fundamental program weakness—but with so few data points, you're operating with limited information.