Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology

Wentworth's engineering graduates earn $78,211 right out of school—$10,300 above the national median and placing them in the 95th percentile nationally. That's impressive performance from a school with an 85% acceptance rate. The $27,000 in typical debt translates to a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe about four months' salary—a manageable figure that's actually lower than the national median debt for engineering programs.

The state picture adds nuance: at the 60th percentile among Massachusetts engineering programs, Wentworth sits squarely in the middle of a strong field. You're competing with outliers like Olin ($109,455) that skew the state average upward, but you're also looking at significantly higher debt than the state median of $19,000. Still, Boston's engineering job market is robust enough that this premium appears justified—graduates are entering the workforce with salaries that support reasonable loan repayment timelines.

For families willing to pay Massachusetts private school prices, Wentworth delivers solid returns without requiring exceptional high school credentials. The combination of strong national earnings performance and moderate debt makes this a straightforward value proposition, especially for students who thrive in hands-on learning environments but may not have the profile for more selective programs.