Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Grand Canyon University

The debt load here demands attention: $53,000 is nearly double the national median for electrical engineering technology bachelor's programs, which typically see graduates leaving with around $27,500. While first-year earnings based on comparable programs suggest around $67,400—aligned with what similar programs produce nationally—that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 means graduates would be carrying nearly 80% of their annual salary in loans. For context, DeVry University-Arizona's electrical engineering technology program shows the same earnings figure, but the national debt picture tells you that many programs deliver similar career outcomes with substantially less borrowing.

The math gets tight fast. At standard repayment terms, $53,000 in federal loans translates to roughly $600 monthly for a decade—a significant chunk of a $67,400 starting salary after taxes. This isn't unmanageable for an engineering-adjacent field, but it leaves less room for error than programs where graduates enter the workforce with half the debt. Grand Canyon's 43% Pell grant population suggests many students are already working with limited financial cushion.

Arizona has only three schools offering this bachelor's program, which limits direct state comparisons. But nationally, 142 programs exist, and the typical graduate carries $25,500 less debt than what's estimated here. Before committing, get actual outcomes data directly from Grand Canyon's career services, and compare total program costs against Arizona State or out-of-state public options where engineering technology programs might deliver similar career access at lower borrowing levels.