Engineering-Related Fields at Earlham College

Looking at Indiana's engineering-related programs, Earlham's estimated outcomes place it in the middle of the pack—roughly $69,000 in first-year earnings based on comparable programs nationally, which aligns closely with the state median. What distinguishes this liberal arts college path, however, is the debt picture: an estimated $27,000, which runs about $10,000 higher than what most Indiana engineering-related graduates carry.

That difference matters more than it might seem. While Purdue's main campus produces slightly higher earnings at around $72,000, their graduates typically start with $16,625 in debt—leaving considerably more breathing room in those crucial early-career years. Earlham's estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 isn't alarming, but it means graduates would likely dedicate more of their first-year salary to loan payments than peers at Indiana's larger technical programs. The small program size here (too few graduates for the DOE to report actual data) also raises questions about specialized equipment, industry connections, and career placement resources.

For families drawn to Earlham's liberal arts environment and smaller class sizes, these estimated figures suggest the premium is manageable but real. You're likely looking at an extra $5,000-10,000 in debt compared to state alternatives with similar earning potential—worthwhile if the personalized education delivers value your student wouldn't get at a larger university, but worth scrutinizing if career preparation and technical depth are the primary goals.