Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Farmingdale State College

A $41,838 starting salary puts Farmingdale's architectural engineering technology graduates nearly $10,000 behind the national median and about $2,000 below the state average—concerning numbers for a technical field that should command stronger compensation. While the program does rank in the 40th percentile statewide (placing it in the middle among New York's limited options), the national ranking at just the 13th percentile reveals this is a weaker outcome compared to similar programs elsewhere. The debt load of $16,825 is manageable in absolute terms, but it's unusually high relative to what peers typically carry nationwide—landing at the 95th percentile for debt among architectural engineering technology programs.

The 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't catastrophic, but the core issue is that first-year salary: it's simply too low for a bachelor's degree in a technical specialty. Graduates are starting at income levels that make it harder to build financial momentum early in their careers. The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) adds uncertainty—outcomes could vary significantly year to year—but the pattern suggests this program isn't delivering the earning power parents would expect from an engineering technology degree.

If your child is set on this field in New York, SUNY Alfred's program shows modestly better outcomes at $46,000. Otherwise, this investment merits serious scrutiny given the earning gap and the availability of stronger programs nationally.