Engineering Technology at Grambling State University

Grambling State's Engineering Technology program reports first-year earnings of $40,864—landing it in just the 5th percentile nationally but the 40th percentile within Louisiana. That state context matters: while this program trails the national median by $20,000, it's only about $7,000 behind Louisiana's state median of $47,664. For a school serving predominantly Pell Grant recipients (72% of students), this gap is concerning but not catastrophic compared to other in-state options.

The debt burden tells a tougher story. At $44,625, graduates carry significantly more debt than both the national median ($26,325) and Louisiana median ($36,178) for this degree. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.09, graduates face more than a full year's salary in loans—manageable for engineering fields with strong wage growth, but risky when starting earnings are already below market rate. The one bright spot: Louisiana has only three Engineering Technology programs, so options are limited for families seeking in-state tuition.

Treat these numbers cautiously given the small graduating class (under 30 students), which means one or two atypical outcomes could skew the data significantly. For families considering this program, the combination of below-average starting pay and above-average debt suggests looking hard at Southeastern Louisiana University, where graduates earn $54,464—33% more right out of the gate.