Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at University of Nevada-Reno

University of Nevada-Reno's electrical engineering graduates start surprisingly low—$60,223 puts them in just the 5th percentile nationally for this field, where the typical program produces $78,000 earners. That's a significant gap for a technical degree that usually commands strong entry-level salaries. The program does sit at the 40th percentile among Nevada's two engineering schools, but that's largely because UNLV's program ($77,254 starting) performs closer to national standards. The low debt load of $16,500 helps soften the blow, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.27 that looks manageable on paper.

The 40% earnings growth to $84,156 by year four tells a more optimistic story—graduates who stick with engineering careers do see meaningful salary progression. By the four-year mark, they've closed much of the initial earnings gap, though they're still catching up to peers who started higher. The moderate sample size suggests the data is reasonably reliable, not skewed by just a handful of graduates.

For Nevada families, this creates a tradeoff: you're getting affordable engineering education at an accessible school (85% admission rate), but your graduate will likely spend their early career years earning 20-30% less than peers from stronger programs. If staying in Nevada is the goal and the low debt matters, UNR works. But families should recognize they're choosing accessibility and affordability over immediate earning power—and that UNLV might be worth considering as an in-state alternative.