Biomedical/Medical Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology

Illinois Tech's biomedical engineering program starts graduates at $48,572—about $16,000 below the national median and $6,500 below Illinois' state median. Among the six Illinois schools offering this degree, it ranks fourth out of six, trailing not just Northwestern and UIUC's powerhouse programs, but also UIC. At only the 10th percentile nationally, these are bottom-tier earnings for a field where most graduates launch at $64,000 or higher.

The relatively low debt load of $27,000 (below both state and national medians) provides some cushion, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56. Earnings do grow respectably to $66,587 by year four—a 37% increase that brings graduates closer to competitive territory. However, even after four years, alumni still earn slightly below what peers at top Illinois programs make in their first year.

For families paying private school tuition at Illinois Tech when state flagship UIUC offers biomedical engineering with 47% higher starting salaries, the value proposition is questionable. This program might work for students who need the Chicago location or couldn't gain admission to stronger alternatives, but the earnings gap suggests they'll spend years catching up to peers from higher-ranked programs. The modest debt helps, but it doesn't overcome the fundamental starting salary disadvantage.