Engineering at University of Maryland-College Park

With starting salaries topping $80,000 and debt under $19,000, UMD-College Park's engineering program delivers strong fundamentals that would make any parent breathe easier. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.23 means graduates typically owe less than three months' salary—manageable by any measure. Nationally, this program sits in the 95th percentile for earnings, substantially ahead of the typical engineering bachelor's program. The caveat: Maryland only has one engineering program in this federal dataset, so the 60th percentile state ranking doesn't offer meaningful comparison.

What's surprising is the modest 6% earnings growth from year one to year four. While $86,000 four years out still represents solid compensation, engineering graduates from top programs often see steeper trajectories. This could reflect UMD engineering grads settling into stable government and defense contractor roles (plentiful in the DC-Baltimore corridor) rather than chasing Silicon Valley-style salary jumps. That's not necessarily bad—those roles offer excellent benefits and job security—but it's worth understanding the typical career path.

The real question is whether you're paying in-state or out-of-state tuition. For Maryland residents, this is a straightforward yes: elite engineering outcomes without the debt burden of private universities. Out-of-state families should weigh the total cost more carefully, since the strong-but-not-spectacular earnings growth might not justify premium tuition.