Engineering-Related Fields at William Penn University

With just two programs in Iowa offering this degree, William Penn's engineering-related fields program occupies an unusual niche. Based on peer programs nationally, graduates might expect around $69,000 in first-year earnings—notably higher than Iowa State's reported $62,416 for similar credentials. However, this estimate comes from national data since William Penn's graduate cohorts are too small for the DOE to publish actual outcomes. That $7,000 gap between the estimate and Iowa State's reality should make you curious about what actually happens to William Penn graduates.

The estimated $27,000 in debt tells a more straightforward story. That's a manageable burden if earnings land anywhere near the national benchmark—the 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could pay down loans within six months of gross income. Engineering-related fields is a broad category covering everything from surveying to engineering technology, and career trajectories vary considerably. At a small private university like William Penn (46% Pell-eligible students, below-average test scores), you're betting on a program without verified outcomes data and an institution that may lack the industry connections of larger engineering schools. Iowa State offers a known quantity with actual graduate data; William Penn offers uncertainty at roughly the same debt level.