Computer Engineering at Bucknell University

Bucknell's computer engineering graduates earn $90,171 in their first year—landing them in the 91st percentile nationally and just behind Villanova among Pennsylvania programs. At an estimated $26,000 in debt (based on similar bachelor's programs at Bucknell), the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 suggests graduates could reasonably pay off their loans within a year or two of aggressive saving, or comfortably manage them on standard repayment plans while still building financial stability.

The earnings picture here is genuinely strong. While we're working with estimated debt figures since the graduate cohort was too small to report, similar programs at Bucknell typically produce debt loads right in line with both state and national medians for computer engineering. What matters is that first-year earnings nearly match Villanova's despite Bucknell's smaller engineering program, and they substantially exceed what graduates earn from larger state universities in Pennsylvania. The selective admissions (32% acceptance rate, 1389 SAT) correlate with outcomes that justify the investment.

For an anxious parent, this looks like a solid bet. Computer engineering graduates command strong salaries regardless of school, but Bucknell's outcomes sit comfortably in the top tier. The estimated debt burden is manageable relative to earning power, and while we can't know this specific cohort's exact debt with certainty, the broader pattern at comparable selective Pennsylvania programs suggests graduates leave with leverage in the job market and reasonable loan obligations.