Engineering at Boise State University

The basic math works here: borrowing roughly $26,000 to earn nearly $68,000 in your first year puts this engineering degree squarely in sensible investment territory, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38. Similar bachelor's engineering programs across the country cluster around these same figures—$67,911 in first-year earnings and $26,000 in debt—suggesting these estimates reflect realistic market outcomes for engineering graduates.

Engineering credentials typically deliver strong returns regardless of where you earn them, and Idaho's relatively low cost of living means that $68,000 stretches further than it would in many engineering hubs. With Boise State's 84% admission rate, access isn't a barrier for students with decent academic records. The real question is whether your student has the aptitude for rigorous technical coursework—engineering programs everywhere have high attrition rates.

The limitation here is that we're working entirely from comparable programs nationally rather than Boise State's own graduate outcomes. That said, engineering is among the most standardized credentials in higher education, with ABET accreditation ensuring similar curriculum and employer expectations nationwide. Unless your student plans to pursue a specialty particularly strong at another institution, this program offers a debt load manageable on an engineer's starting salary.