Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at DeVry University-California

DeVry's electrical engineering technology program saddles graduates with nearly triple the debt load of comparable California programs—$53,062 versus a state median of just $19,802. While first-year earnings of $67,395 hit the national median, they fall below California's typical outcome and rank in only the 40th percentile statewide. That debt burden matters: you're looking at roughly nine months of gross earnings just to cover what graduates from Cal Poly Pomona or Chico State could pay off in three to four months, yet those CSU programs deliver similar or better starting salaries.

The 13% earnings growth to $75,968 by year four offers some relief, but it doesn't close the value gap. This program serves a predominantly working-class student body (54% receive Pell grants), yet it charges private-school prices for outcomes that public universities in California match or exceed. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 isn't catastrophic, but it's unnecessarily high given the alternatives.

If your child has admission offers from Cal State schools for engineering technology, those represent substantially better investments. DeVry might make sense only if schedule flexibility for working students justifies the premium—but understand you're paying roughly $30,000 extra in debt for that convenience, which will take years to overcome.