ROI Major

Engineering-Related Fields at Missouri University of Science and Technology

MO · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 15.15

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Engineering-Related Fields degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology earn a median salary of $95,481 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $107,041. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.7 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

$75,814

Typical Career

$95,481

Top Performers

$117,586

Estimated break-even: 3.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$637

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,957. Most students can comfortably afford about a $637 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Construction.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Manufacturing 30.5%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 25.9%
Construction 6.6%

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

$107,041

Nominal: $95,481 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

3.7 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 $55,111 $73,003 $87,660
5 Years After Graduation $75,814 $95,481 $117,586
10 Years After Graduation $79,787 $110,938 $148,888

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 $95,481 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $95,481 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920) = $107,041 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the engineering-related fields at Missouri University of Science and Technology experience a strong earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $73,003, which increases to $95,481 after five years and reaches $110,938 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $107,041.48 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in earnings relative to the national average, particularly given Missouri's lower cost of living index at 0.892.

The top industries for graduates include Manufacturing (30.5%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (25.9%), and Construction (6.6%). This distribution suggests a diverse range of opportunities in both traditional and emerging sectors. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 3.7 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing an engineering degree at this institution appears favorable, highlighting the potential for substantial long-term financial benefits.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Engineering-Related Fields degree at Missouri University of Science and Technology 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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