Computer Engineering at Ohio Dominican University

A computer engineering degree with estimated debt around $26,000 and first-year earnings near $70,000 suggests reasonable financial footing—but the comparison to Ohio's flagship programs reveals important context. Similar computer engineering programs in Ohio produce first-year earnings ranging from about $69,000 to over $83,000, with Ohio State and Cincinnati graduates earning roughly $13,000-$14,000 more annually right out of the gate.

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 sits comfortably below the concerning 1.0 threshold, and the debt figure aligns closely with both state and national medians for this major. However, the earnings estimate based on Ohio peer programs falls about $9,000 short of the national median for computer engineering graduates. That gap compounds over time—if it holds, that's roughly $50,000 less in cumulative earnings over the first five years compared to the typical computer engineering graduate nationwide.

For families weighing this investment, the question becomes whether Ohio Dominican's smaller program environment and 85% admission accessibility justify accepting lower estimated earnings than Ohio's research universities deliver. Computer engineering credentials generally produce strong returns, but when peer institutions in the same metro area consistently generate higher starting salaries, parents should understand they may be paying similar tuition for notably different career launch trajectories.