Construction Engineering Technologies at Wayne State University

Wayne State's Construction Engineering Technologies program produces first-year earnings of $53,310—nearly $20,000 below the national median for this degree and roughly $10,000 under what similar programs in Michigan typically deliver. While the estimated debt of about $25,000 (based on comparable programs nationally) isn't excessive on its own, it translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio that looks manageable at 0.46 until you realize graduates from peer programs are earning significantly more with similar debt loads. Michigan State's program, for instance, shows graduates earning over $74,000 in their first year.

The earnings gap here is substantial and persistent. This program ranks at just the 5th percentile nationally and 25th percentile within Michigan—meaning 95% of similar programs across the country produce better outcomes. For a technical field like construction engineering where bachelor's degrees typically command strong starting salaries, these numbers suggest either curriculum misalignment with industry needs or weak employer connections. Given Wayne State's accessible admission profile and 43% Pell Grant population, the school may be serving students well in other ways, but the earnings data indicates graduates aren't competing effectively for higher-paying construction engineering roles.

If your child is committed to this field and Wayne State for location or affordability reasons, plan for a longer debt payoff timeline and expect more aggressive job hunting. Otherwise, programs like Michigan State's demonstrate that Michigan employers will pay $20,000+ more annually for construction engineering graduates—a difference worth considering even if it means higher upfront costs.