Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

North Dakota State's electrical engineering program delivers solid but unremarkable outcomes, landing graduates squarely in the middle of both national and state benchmarks. With starting salaries around $75,000 and debt below $22,000, the fundamentals work—graduates owe less than three months of their first-year income. However, this program trails the University of North Dakota by about $3,000 in starting pay, ranking only 40th percentile among North Dakota's three engineering programs.

The earnings trajectory reveals the program's main limitation: graduates see just 7% income growth between years one and four, reaching $80,000 while top national programs push past $81,000 in starting salaries alone. For a field typically known for strong earning potential, these numbers suggest adequate but not exceptional training. The 96% admission rate and modest SAT scores indicate NDSU casts a wide net, which may explain why outcomes cluster toward the median rather than the top.

For North Dakota families looking to keep costs low while staying in-state, this program works—the debt load is manageable and the degree opens doors to engineering careers. But students with stronger academic profiles should seriously consider UND or out-of-state options that might offer better long-term earning potential, especially since the modest earnings growth suggests graduates may start behind and stay there throughout their careers.