Best Schools for Engineering, General

Engineering, General graduates earn a median of $62,272 within two years of graduation, ranking #28 out of 292 tracked majors — 75% above the median across all fields. There are 51 colleges nationwide with tracked earnings for this major, producing 2,371 recent graduates.

Where you study matters: Harvey Mudd College graduates earn $81,997 while University of the Incarnate Word graduates earn $44,356 — a $37,641 difference. Factors like location, employer networks, co-op programs, and curriculum focus drive this gap.

Early career salary growth is modest: Engineering, General graduates see an average 1% increase between year 1 and year 2 post-graduation, reflecting career advancement and skill development in the first years after college.

51
Schools
$62,272
Avg. 2yr Earnings
#28
of 292 Majors
2,371
Graduates

Public vs Private: Engineering, General

Public (27 schools)
$62,006
avg. 2yr earnings
Private (24 schools)
$62,572
avg. 2yr earnings

Private schools produce $566 more in early earnings on average for Engineering, General graduates. Factor in tuition difference to calculate which offers better ROI.

Engineering, General by State

Top Engineering, General Schools by Graduate Earnings

#1
H

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, CA · Private

$81,997
2yr Earnings
1yr: $81,948
Grads: 59
Acceptance: 13.1%
#2
B

Brown University

Providence, RI · Private

$75,921
2yr Earnings
1yr: $70,583
Grads: 70
Acceptance: 5.2%
#3
F

Franklin W Olin College of Engineering

Needham, MA · Private

$75,706
2yr Earnings
1yr: $91,352
Grads: 37
Acceptance: 21.7%
#4
C

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

$74,576
2yr Earnings
1yr: $57,169
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 8.2%
#5
U

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL · Public

$72,727
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 43.7%
#6
L

Lafayette College

Easton, PA · Private

$72,403
2yr Earnings
1yr: $67,714
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 31.5%
#7
U

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

$70,370
2yr Earnings
1yr: $74,487
Grads: 122
Acceptance: 41.6%
#8
M

McNeese State University

Lake Charles, LA · Public

$69,338
2yr Earnings
1yr: $64,056
Grads: 79
Acceptance: 67.5%
#9
T

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN · Public

$69,338
2yr Earnings
1yr: $54,615
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 77.0%
#10
T

Texas Christian University

Fort Worth, TX · Private

$69,338
2yr Earnings
1yr: $63,234
Grads: 40
Acceptance: 42.6%
#11
A

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Tempe, AZ · Public

$68,666
2yr Earnings
1yr: $63,561
Grads: 152
Acceptance: 90.2%
#12
H

Hope College

Holland, MI · Private

$67,101
2yr Earnings
1yr: $62,322
Grads: 59
Acceptance: 75.8%
#13
U

University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, AK · Public

$66,728
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 66.5%
#14
J

John Brown University

Siloam Springs, AR · Private

$65,573
2yr Earnings
1yr: $62,958
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 67.6%
#15
C

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI · Private

$65,188
2yr Earnings
1yr: $62,088
Grads: 108
Acceptance: 71.3%
#16
C

Colorado School of Mines

Golden, CO · Public

$65,131
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 59.7%
#17
W

Western Illinois University

Macomb, IL · Public

$64,990
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 75.0%
#18
D

Dartmouth College

Hanover, NH · Private

$64,990
2yr Earnings
1yr: $58,277
Grads: 23
Acceptance: 6.2%
#19
U

University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Cincinnati, OH · Public

$64,493
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 87.7%
#20
U

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, IN · Public

$64,087
2yr Earnings
1yr: $63,165
Grads: 49
Acceptance: 94.7%
#21
O

Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, IL · Private

$63,997
2yr Earnings
1yr: $61,282
Grads: 82
Acceptance: 66.9%
#22
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$63,997
2yr Earnings
1yr: $66,191
Grads: 125
Acceptance: 83.9%
#23
N

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC · Public

$63,997
2yr Earnings
1yr: $61,567
Grads: 38
Acceptance: 39.9%
#24
M

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN · Public

$63,302
2yr Earnings
1yr: $58,743
Grads: 42
Acceptance: 91.3%
#25
F

Frostburg State University

Frostburg, MD · Public

$63,005
2yr Earnings
1yr: $58,995
Grads: 46
Acceptance: 89.4%
#26
U

University of North Carolina Asheville

Asheville, NC · Public

$63,005
2yr Earnings
1yr: $62,948
Grads: 35
Acceptance: 93.9%
#27
E

Elizabethtown College

Elizabethtown, PA · Private

$62,508
2yr Earnings
1yr: $60,381
Grads: 44
Acceptance: 76.8%
#28
S

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

$62,154
2yr Earnings
1yr: $63,263
Grads: 41
Acceptance: 49.0%
#29
L

Loyola University Maryland

Baltimore, MD · Private

$61,516
2yr Earnings
1yr: $67,844
Grads: 42
Acceptance: 76.3%
#30
M

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA · Private

$60,623
2yr Earnings
1yr: $57,515
Grads: 90
Acceptance: 78.5%
#31
W

Walla Walla University

College Place, WA · Private

$60,568
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,324
Grads: 38
Acceptance: N/A
#32
G

George Fox University

Newberg, OR · Private

$60,230
2yr Earnings
1yr: $64,179
Grads: 81
Acceptance: 96.4%
#33
E

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC · Public

$58,447
2yr Earnings
1yr: $61,056
Grads: 144
Acceptance: 90.1%
#34
M

Montana Technological University

Butte, MT · Public

$58,334
2yr Earnings
1yr: $59,958
Grads: 24
Acceptance: 89.9%
#35
A

Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR · Public

$58,131
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 69.7%
#36
J

James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · Public

$57,943
2yr Earnings
1yr: $64,114
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 76.3%
#37
U

University of Hartford

West Hartford, CT · Private

$57,318
2yr Earnings
1yr: $57,391
Grads: 19
Acceptance: 83.0%
#38
O

Oral Roberts University

Tulsa, OK · Private

$57,318
2yr Earnings
1yr: $60,813
Grads: 31
Acceptance: 98.6%
#39
M

Marshall University

Huntington, WV · Public

$57,318
2yr Earnings
1yr: $52,929
Grads: 30
Acceptance: 96.5%
#40
C

College of Staten Island CUNY

Staten Island, NY · Public

$56,776
2yr Earnings
1yr: $49,020
Grads: 34
Acceptance: N/A
#41
T

The University of Tennessee-Martin

Martin, TN · Public

$56,415
2yr Earnings
1yr: $53,659
Grads: 45
Acceptance: 87.3%
#42
A

Andrews University

Berrien Springs, MI · Private

$55,964
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 87.4%
#43
S

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY · Public

$55,348
2yr Earnings
1yr: $58,926
Grads: 18
Acceptance: 82.9%
#44
U

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Huntsville, AL · Public

$54,644
2yr Earnings
1yr: $67,098
Grads: 27
Acceptance: 74.3%
#45
F

Fort Lewis College

Durango, CO · Public

$54,209
2yr Earnings
1yr: $54,481
Grads: 38
Acceptance: 93.2%
#46
W

Wilkes University

Wilkes-Barre, PA · Private

$53,984
2yr Earnings
1yr: $60,305
Grads: 22
Acceptance: 91.5%
#47
G

Geneva College

Beaver Falls, PA · Private

$52,789
2yr Earnings
1yr: $56,882
Grads: 68
Acceptance: N/A
#48
U

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

$51,273
2yr Earnings
1yr: $54,356
Grads: 33
Acceptance: 16.9%
#49
M

Mercer University

Macon, GA · Private

$49,729
2yr Earnings
1yr: $62,626
Grads: 69
Acceptance: 66.5%
#50
R

Robert Morris University

Moon Township, PA · Private

$48,041
2yr Earnings
1yr: $54,446
Grads: 124
Acceptance: 90.6%

Showing top 50 of 51 schools. View all or filter by state above.

Majors with Similar Earnings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Engineering, General?
Harvey Mudd College ranks #1 for Engineering, General with median graduate earnings of $81,997 within two years. There are 51 schools nationwide offering this major with tracked earnings data.
How much do Engineering, General graduates earn?
Engineering, General graduates earn an average of $62,272 within two years of graduation. This is 75% above the median across all majors. Earnings range from $44,356 to $81,997 depending on the school.
How hard is it to get into a top Engineering, General program?
The average acceptance rate across Engineering, General programs is 68.3%. The most selective program is at Brown University with a 5.2% acceptance rate. Competitive programs value strong math/analytical skills and relevant coursework.
Is a public or private school better for Engineering, General?
Private Engineering, General programs average $62,572 in early earnings vs $62,006 at public schools. Private schools lead in earnings, but cost significantly more — calculate net price before deciding.

Data updated June 2026. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median 2 years after graduation for bachelor's degree holders.

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