Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Colorado State's electrical engineering program lands graduates squarely in the middle of the pack—earning $78,038 their first year out, which sits just below both the national median ($77,710) and notably below Colorado's state median of $80,513. Within Colorado, this program ranks in the 40th percentile, trailing three University of Colorado campuses and Colorado School of Mines. That gap matters for in-state students who might expect similar outcomes across Colorado's public universities.

The financial picture is straightforward: with $25,900 in typical debt and solid first-year earnings, the debt burden represents just one-third of starting salary—a manageable load by any measure. Earnings grow steadily to $88,740 by year four, suggesting graduates gain valuable experience and move into more specialized roles. The 90% admission rate indicates this is an accessible path into electrical engineering without the competitive gatekeeping of elite programs.

For families comparing Colorado options, understand that you're looking at a $10,000 first-year earnings gap between CSU and Boulder or Mines. That difference compounds over a career but doesn't make this a poor investment—it's a solid engineering degree at an attainable institution, just not the state's most lucrative. If your child has the academic profile for Mines or Boulder, those warrant serious consideration. If CSU is the realistic option, the fundamentals here are sound: reasonable debt, respectable earnings, and clear upward trajectory.