ROI Major

Engineering, General at SUNY Maritime College

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.01

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Engineering, General degree from SUNY Maritime College earn a median salary of $135,613 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $102,737. The degree typically pays for itself in 2.4 years.

Quick Insights

Financial Home Run

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

$116,517

Typical Career

$135,613

Top Performers

$166,788

Estimated to break even in under 3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$904

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $11,301. Most students can comfortably afford about a $904 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 3.5x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.7x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Transportation & Warehousing, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Public Administration.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Transportation & Warehousing 32.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.9%
Public Administration 6.8%

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

$102,737

Nominal: $135,613 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% lower 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).

2.4 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 $76,285 $94,389 $145,118
5 Years After Graduation $116,517 $135,613 $166,788
10 Years After Graduation $117,305 $134,767 $160,199

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 $135,613 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $135,613 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $102,737 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Engineering, General program at SUNY Maritime College experience a strong earnings trajectory. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $94,389, which increases to $135,613 five years later. However, by the ten-year mark, median earnings slightly decline to $134,767. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $102,737.12, indicating that while initial earnings are robust, the long-term financial benefits may be influenced by regional cost of living factors, particularly given New York's higher cost of living index.

The top industries for graduates include Transportation & Warehousing (32.1%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.9%), and Public Administration (6.8%), suggesting diverse career opportunities. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 2.4 years, indicating a relatively quick return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the program presents a favorable ROI, particularly for those entering high-demand sectors, despite the regional cost considerations.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Engineering, General degree at SUNY Maritime College 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.

Explore More