Computer Engineering at University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

UMass Dartmouth's computer engineering graduates start with nearly $80,000 in first-year earnings—squarely at the national median but trailing most Massachusetts programs by a meaningful margin. Within the state, this program sits at just the 40th percentile, earning about $8,000 less than the typical Massachusetts computer engineering grad and roughly $10,000 behind UMass Lowell. That gap matters for students who could access other state universities at similar tuition rates.

The bright spot here is debt: at $30,000, graduates carry one of the lowest debt loads nationally (5th percentile) and below the state median. This produces an enviable 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe less than 40% of their first-year salary. For an accessible program at a university with a 92% admission rate, that combination of solid starting pay and minimal debt creates real financial breathing room early in your career.

One important caveat: the sample size here is small (under 30 graduates), so individual outcomes might vary more than these numbers suggest. For families comparing UMass campuses, Amherst and Lowell both deliver stronger earnings, but Dartmouth offers the lowest barrier to entry and reasonable financial outcomes. If your student is considering computer engineering but isn't guaranteed admission to more selective programs, this represents a lower-risk path into the field.