Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at CUNY New York City College of Technology

With first-year earnings of $61,520 and estimated debt around $24,750 based on comparable New York programs, this bachelor's degree produces a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40. That means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans with about five months of gross income—a reasonable financial starting point. However, the earnings lag notably behind other electrical engineering technology programs in New York, where the state median sits at $67,395 and top programs like Excelsior and RIT place graduates earning $75,000-$83,000 right out of the gate.

The 35% earnings growth to $83,092 by year four is encouraging and suggests the program builds practical skills that employers increasingly value with experience. This trajectory eventually catches up to what stronger programs produce initially, though starting $6,000-$15,000 behind peers means delayed wealth-building in those critical early career years. Given that 55% of students receive Pell grants, many families here are stretching to make college work financially, and that initial earnings gap matters.

The practical bottom line: this program delivers legitimate engineering technology credentials at a price point that won't crush graduates financially, but your child will likely earn less initially than peers from other New York programs. If City Tech's location in Brooklyn offers networking advantages or the lower estimated debt compared to pricier alternatives matters significantly to your family's finances, those factors could offset the earnings difference. Otherwise, comparable SUNY options like Buffalo State might deliver better immediate return.