ROI Major

Electrical and Electronics Engineering at University of Massachusetts - Lowell

MA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.10

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree from University of Massachusetts - Lowell earn a median salary of $106,392 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $71,789. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.3 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

$89,072

Typical Career

$106,392

Top Performers

$124,892

Estimated break-even: 3.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$709

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,866. Most students can comfortably afford about a $709 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.4x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Massachusetts buys what costs $1.48 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 19.1%
Health Care & Social Assistance 17.8%
Manufacturing 12.8%

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

$71,789

Nominal: $106,392 in Massachusetts (COL 148.2% of national avg) · 32.5% 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).

3.3 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 $59,263 $77,901 $91,575
5 Years After Graduation $89,072 $106,392 $124,892
10 Years After Graduation $104,531 $130,859 $163,498

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 $106,392 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MA, which has a cost-of-living index of 148.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $106,392 × (1.0 ÷ 1.4820) = $71,789 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 in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Massachusetts - Lowell shows a significant increase over time. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $77,901, which rises to $106,392 after five years and reaches $130,859 after ten years. However, considering the cost of living in Massachusetts, where the cost-of-living index is 1.482 compared to the national average of 1.0, the purchasing-power-adjusted salary five years post-graduation is approximately $71,789.47, indicating that while earnings are high, the local cost of living must be factored into financial planning.

Graduates primarily enter sectors such as Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (19.1%), Health Care & Social Assistance (17.8%), and Manufacturing (12.8%). The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 3.3 years, suggesting a relatively quick return on investment. Overall, the data indicates that pursuing a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at UMass Lowell can lead to favorable financial outcomes, particularly in high-demand industries.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree at University of Massachusetts - Lowell 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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