Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians at Texas A&M University-College Station

Texas A&M's Electrical Engineering Technology program launches graduates into strong starting salaries—$78,185 first year, which lands in the 95th percentile nationally. The $27,000 debt load is reasonable, creating a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio that most families can manage comfortably. Here's the catch: while those initial earnings outpace the national median by $10,790, they actually sit at the 60th percentile among Texas programs. You're paying flagship tuition for middle-of-the-pack performance in a state with solid technical programs at lower price points.

The slight earnings dip to $76,028 by year four isn't alarming—it's virtually flat and still well above the national benchmark. What matters more is that this program clearly delivers technical skills that translate immediately to the job market. The moderate sample size means these numbers are reasonably stable, and the low Pell enrollment (19%) suggests you're likely getting good networking opportunities with peers from established backgrounds.

Bottom line: This is a safe bet if your child is set on A&M's campus and career network. But if maximizing return on investment is the priority, look closely at University of Houston's identical median earnings of $74,835—likely at considerably lower in-state tuition. The A&M name carries weight, just not enough weight to ignore a potential $20,000+ difference in total costs for similar outcomes.