Engineering at Youngstown State University

Youngstown State's engineering program shows a solid debt-to-earnings foundation, with estimated first-year earnings of $67,911 against roughly $25,800 in debt—a 0.38 ratio that suggests manageable repayment. These figures come from national benchmarks for similar bachelor's engineering programs, since Youngstown State's graduate sample was too small for the Department of Education to publish. While we can't see how this specific program's graduates fare, the typical engineering graduate nationally starts near this earnings level, and the debt load sits just below the national median for engineering degrees.

The challenge is understanding where Youngstown State fits within Ohio's 16 engineering programs. None of the state's comparable programs have published outcomes data either, leaving you without crucial context about how regional employers value different Ohio engineering credentials. The school's 80% acceptance rate and solid one-third Pell grant enrollment suggest accessibility, but you're essentially betting that Youngstown State's engineering graduates will perform like the national average—a reasonable but unverified assumption.

For parents, the math looks workable on paper: engineering credentials generally deliver strong returns, and a sub-0.40 debt ratio leaves breathing room. But you're making this decision without knowing whether Youngstown State's specific connections to Ohio's manufacturing and engineering employers justify choosing this program over alternatives. If your child has admission offers from Ohio engineering programs with reported outcomes, those schools offer something valuable here—actual proof of graduate success rather than educated projections.