Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Saginaw Valley State University

A first-year salary of $78,950 against estimated debt of $26,000 yields a healthy 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio—squarely in "manageable" territory for an engineering degree. While debt figures here come from peer programs across Michigan rather than SVSU's specific graduates, the earnings are real and notably beat the national median for electrical engineering programs. That said, this program sits in the middle of Michigan's engineering landscape, trailing the state's elite programs by $5,000-$9,000 in first-year earnings.

The gap becomes clearer when you look at Michigan's top engineering schools: U-M Ann Arbor and Kettering graduates start nearly $9,000 higher. Still, SVSU's outcomes land close to national benchmarks and well above what you'd call a risky investment. For families weighing cost versus earning potential, this program delivers solid returns without the debt burden that should keep parents up at night. The estimated $26,000 debt aligns with what similar Michigan programs typically produce.

For a student who can handle the engineering curriculum and values staying in-state, this represents a practical path to a good-paying career. The real question is whether the roughly $8,000 gap compared to Michigan's top programs matters enough to justify their potentially higher admission standards or costs—but either way, you're looking at a degree that pays for itself relatively quickly.