Biomedical/Medical Engineering at Union College

Union College graduates biomedical engineering students with remarkably low debt—just $27,000, putting this program in the 5th percentile nationally for student debt. That's roughly $4,000 less than the state median and nearly $4,000 below the national average. For a selective private institution with an average SAT of 1410, this restrained borrowing stands out as a major strength.

The earnings picture tells a more nuanced story. At $62,624, graduates start slightly below the national median of $64,660 but match the New York state median exactly, ranking in the 60th percentile among the state's 15 biomedical engineering programs. While RPI and RIT graduates earn $10,000-12,000 more, Union grads come out with substantially less debt—creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.43, which is quite manageable. The gap with top programs isn't insurmountable, and many engineers see salary growth as they gain experience.

One important caveat: this data comes from a small cohort (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes can swing these numbers significantly. Still, the fundamental tradeoff is clear: Union offers solid entry into biomedical engineering without the debt burden that can constrain early-career choices. If your child wants to pursue graduate school or work in research—where starting salaries matter less than long-term trajectory—graduating with minimal debt could prove more valuable than chasing slightly higher first-year earnings elsewhere.