Engineering at College of Staten Island CUNY

In New York's engineering landscape, College of Staten Island graduates face a challenging start, with first-year earnings of $48,898 falling well below both the state median of $52,168 and the national median of $67,911. The estimated $25,832 debt load—derived from similar CUNY programs since this specific cohort is too small to report—creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53, manageable on paper but less forgiving when paired with earnings at the bottom of the field.

The 61% earnings growth to $78,613 by year four is the program's strongest argument. That trajectory suggests graduates eventually catch up, though the delayed start matters for a household budget navigating loan repayment. Nearly half the students receive Pell grants, meaning many families are banking on engineering as an upward mobility vehicle. The question is whether starting $19,000 behind the national average puts too much strain on that path, especially in New York's high cost-of-living market.

For families stretching to afford even CUNY's relatively modest costs, this program requires clear expectations: you're likely looking at a slower professional start than peers at Stony Brook or national programs, but growth potential exists if your student can weather the early years. The value proposition hinges entirely on whether that four-year outcome materializes and how much financial pressure the household can absorb in the meantime.