Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Brigham Young University-Idaho

BYU-Idaho engineering graduates start at $70,563—about $7,000 below the national median and roughly $2,000 below Idaho's typical graduate. While this lands the program in the 15th percentile nationally, it's closer to the state median (40th percentile), suggesting this reflects Idaho's broader engineering market more than program quality. The real standout here is debt: at $13,884, graduates carry less than half what's typical for engineering degrees, both nationally ($24,989) and within Idaho ($27,000). With a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.20, most graduates can comfortably manage these payments while building their careers.

The 18% earnings growth to $83,186 by year four shows solid trajectory, though the starting salary gap persists when compared to University of Idaho graduates who begin at $80,700. For families prioritizing low debt over maximum starting salary, this trade-off makes sense—the lower initial earnings are offset by minimal financial burden. However, if your student has admission to U of I or could attend a higher-ranked program elsewhere, the $10,000+ starting salary difference compounds significantly over a career.

This works best for cost-conscious families who want an engineering degree without heavy debt, particularly those already connected to BYU-Idaho's community. Just recognize you're accepting below-average starting earnings in exchange for that financial flexibility.