ROI Major

Computer Engineering Technologies at East Carolina University

NC · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 15.12

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Computer Engineering Technologies degree from East Carolina University earn a median salary of $79,787 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $81,582. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.2 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$60,304

Typical Career

$79,787

Top Performers

$103,123

Estimated break-even: 5.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$532

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,649. Most students can comfortably afford about a $532 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in North Carolina buys what costs $0.98 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 20.7%
Educational Services 19.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.3%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$81,582

Nominal: $79,787 in North Carolina (COL 97.8% of national avg) · 2.2% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

5.2 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $39,380 $56,406 $79,931
5 Years After Graduation $60,304 $79,787 $103,123
10 Years After Graduation $63,082 $87,772 $121,427

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $79,787 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NC, which has a cost-of-living index of 97.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $79,787 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9780) = $81,582 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for graduates of Computer Engineering Technologies at East Carolina University shows a significant increase over time. One year after graduation, median earnings are reported at $56,406, rising to $79,787 five years later, and reaching $87,772 a decade post-graduation. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $81,581.8, indicating that graduates can expect competitive compensation relative to their peers across the country, even when considering the cost of living in North Carolina.

Graduates typically enter diverse industries, with notable concentrations in Health Care & Social Assistance (20.7%), Educational Services (19.6%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.3%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 5.2 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in Computer Engineering Technologies from East Carolina University can lead to solid career opportunities and financial benefits over time.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Computer Engineering Technologies degree at East Carolina University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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