Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown

This engineering technology program appears positioned near the middle of its field nationally, with peer programs suggesting first-year earnings around $59,000 and debt close to $27,500. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 falls comfortably below the rule-of-thumb threshold of 1.0, meaning graduates would likely owe less than half their first year's salary—a manageable starting point for an engineering-related career.

What's harder to assess is trajectory. The jump from estimated first-year earnings to the actual reported four-year figure of $66,000 suggests modest growth, but without knowing how this specific program's graduates perform relative to similar schools, you're making an educated guess rather than an informed decision. Pennsylvania College of Technology, the only comparable program in the state with public data, reports nearly identical first-year outcomes at $58,752, which at least confirms the estimates aren't wildly optimistic.

The real question is whether a civil engineering technology degree offers the same career ceiling as a traditional civil engineering degree, which typically commands higher salaries. If your child is certain about the technology track and the hands-on focus it offers, the debt load here won't be crushing. But if there's any chance they'd prefer the broader opportunities that come with a full engineering credential, it's worth exploring those programs first—even if they cost slightly more upfront.