Civil Engineering at Lawrence Technological University

Lawrence Tech's civil engineering program reports impressive first-year earnings of $77,836, outpacing not just the national median ($69,574) but also every other civil engineering program in Michigan—including larger state universities. At $30,197 in typical debt, graduates carry a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39, meaning they could theoretically pay off their loans in under five months of gross earnings. This combination puts the program in elite territory nationally.

However, the sample size here matters significantly—fewer than 30 graduates were tracked, which means these outcomes could reflect a particularly successful cohort rather than the program norm. It's notable that despite ranking in the 95th percentile nationally, the program sits at just the 60th percentile within Michigan, suggesting the state's civil engineering programs generally produce strong outcomes. With an 80% admission rate and relatively low Pell enrollment, Lawrence Tech may also be drawing students from families with existing professional networks, which can boost early earnings independent of program quality.

For families comfortable with the tuition investment, these numbers are encouraging—civil engineering graduates here appear to launch well financially. But given the small sample, parents should dig deeper: ask the school for multi-year placement data and verify that recent graduates are consistently reaching these salary levels before banking on this outcome.