Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Rose-Hulman's electrical engineering graduates start at $80,062—outpacing both the national median and Indiana's average by meaningful margins. Among Indiana's engineering programs, this places near the 60th percentile, trailing only Notre Dame and Purdue's flagship campus by a few thousand dollars. What's notable here is that Rose-Hulman achieves these outcomes with a 73% admission rate, meaning it's substantially more accessible than comparable programs while still delivering strong results.

The debt picture reinforces the value: at $26,161, graduates carry roughly one-third of their first-year salary in loans—manageable by engineering standards. Earnings climb to $89,159 by year four, an 11% gain that suggests healthy career progression. For context, this places Rose-Hulman graduates above 67% of electrical engineering programs nationwide, not just regionally.

The tradeoff is cost versus the very top programs. Notre Dame and Purdue grads start about $5,000 higher, though Rose-Hulman's less competitive admissions and steady outcomes make it a solid middle ground. For families seeking strong engineering placement without the admissions lottery of elite programs, this delivers. The debt load is reasonable, the starting salary covers it quickly, and the trajectory looks sustainable.