Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Wayne State University

Wayne State's engineering program sits in an interesting middle ground: while earnings are solid and match national averages, graduates trail their Michigan peers by about $1,300 initially—placing the program at just the 40th percentile statewide. This gap matters because most students will likely compare job offers within Michigan's competitive engineering market, where schools like U-M and Kettering command $8,000-10,000 salary premiums right out of the gate.

The financial fundamentals work in your favor. At roughly $25,000 in debt, your child would owe about one-third of their first-year salary—a manageable burden that beats half of comparable engineering programs nationally. Strong earnings growth to nearly $98,000 by year four shows the degree maintains its value. For families where Wayne State's accessible admissions (82% acceptance rate) and location in Detroit matter, these are reasonable returns.

The real question is opportunity cost. If your child can access Michigan's top-tier programs, the higher starting salaries compound over a career. But if Wayne State offers in-state tuition, proximity to Detroit's automotive and tech employers, or represents the most realistic engineering path, the numbers support the investment. Just understand you're choosing solid middle-of-the-pack returns rather than leading the state's engineering earnings.