Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at University of St Thomas

University of St. Thomas engineering graduates face a puzzling reality: they start $10,000 behind the national median at $67,043, ranking in just the 5th percentile nationally, yet catch up significantly by year four to reach $91,888. While that's middle-of-the-pack within Minnesota (40th percentile), it still trails the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities by about $12,000 annually. The $27,000 debt load matches the state median and sits below the national average, creating a manageable 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio—though that ratio would be even better if starting salaries were stronger.

The real concern here isn't the debt or the eventual earnings trajectory; it's understanding why UST engineering graduates start so far behind peers at comparable programs. With an 85% admission rate and modest selectivity, this isn't an elite program, but the 37% earnings growth suggests graduates find their footing within a few years. The small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift considerably year to year, so they're more of a directional signal than a guarantee.

For families choosing between Minnesota engineering programs, UST costs about the same in debt as state schools but delivers weaker early-career outcomes than University of Minnesota campuses. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose St. Thomas—perhaps Catholic identity, smaller class sizes, or location preference—the larger public universities appear to offer better ROI in this field.