Computer Engineering at Loyola University Chicago

Loyola's Computer Engineering program sits in an uncomfortable middle ground—charging private school tuition while delivering earnings closer to regional public universities. At $68,020, first-year graduates earn about $11,000 less than the Illinois median and nearly $13,000 below the national benchmark for this major. That 16th percentile national ranking reveals this program struggles to compete with the field, despite Computer Engineering typically being one of the most reliably high-earning undergraduate degrees.

The debt picture offers some relief: $25,000 is manageable for an engineering degree, translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. This means graduates can realistically pay down loans within a few years if they live modestly. However, Illinois offers multiple alternatives with comparable or better outcomes—UIUC graduates more than double Loyola's earnings, while Southern Illinois Edwardsville matches the state median at significantly lower cost as a public institution.

For families paying Loyola's private tuition rates (likely $40,000+ annually before aid), the return looks weak. If significant financial aid brings the net cost down substantially, the program becomes defensible as a path to a stable engineering career. But without serious scholarships, parents should recognize they'd be paying premium prices for middle-of-the-pack results in a field where the credential school carries real weight with employers.