Computer Engineering at Drexel University

Drexel's Computer Engineering program costs more than most of its competitors—the median debt here sits at $28,166 versus $24,500 nationally—but graduates start at nearly $90,000 and climb past $99,000 by year four. That's roughly $11,000 above the national median for first-year earnings, placing this program in the 89th percentile nationally. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31 means graduates typically owe less than four months of their starting salary, making this one of the more manageable debt loads you'll find.

Within Pennsylvania, Drexel sits comfortably in the middle of the state's computer engineering landscape (60th percentile), trailing Villanova and Bucknell but ahead of larger public options like Pitt-Johnstown. The gap isn't enormous—about $5,000 less than Villanova at the starting line—and Drexel's outcomes remain strong enough to justify the investment. The 78% admission rate means this program is accessible to solid students without requiring the ultra-competitive stats of some higher-earning alternatives.

For a family weighing cost against outcomes, this program delivers. The debt burden is real but proportionate to what graduates earn immediately, and the earnings trajectory shows healthy growth rather than stagnation. If your child can get into Villanova or Bucknell, those might edge ahead slightly, but Drexel's computer engineering degree gets you to a similar destination without requiring perfect credentials.