Architectural Engineering at University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

University of Cincinnati's Architectural Engineering program produces graduates earning $72,691 in their first year—just below the national median but exactly at Ohio's median for the field. The $25,880 in typical debt translates to a manageable 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates earn nearly three times what they owe. For a technical engineering degree with an 88% admission rate, these outcomes are solid if unspectacular.

The challenge here is context: only one Ohio school offers this specific program, and the small graduating class (under 30 students) makes these figures less reliable than data from larger programs. Nationally, Cincinnati ranks in the 42nd percentile—meaning more than half of architectural engineering programs produce better first-year earnings. That said, the field itself commands respectable starting salaries, and the debt burden here won't constrain graduates' early career choices.

For parents, this is a reasonable but not exceptional investment. The combination of accessible admissions and manageable debt reduces financial risk, though the program doesn't appear to deliver the premium outcomes that top architectural engineering schools achieve. If your child is passionate about this niche between architecture and engineering, the value is defensible—just recognize they're not getting the earning power of programs at the field's top tier.