ROI Major

Electrical and Electronics Engineering at University of Michigan

MI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.10

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Electrical and Electronics Engineering degree from University of Michigan earn a median salary of $111,666 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $122,039. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.2 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

$88,755

Typical Career

$111,666

Top Performers

$140,650

Estimated break-even: 3.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$744

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $9,306. Most students can comfortably afford about a $744 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.4x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Michigan buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 24.6%
Health Care & Social Assistance 14.2%
Educational Services 14.1%

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

$122,039

Nominal: $111,666 in Michigan (COL 91.5% of national avg) · 9.3% 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).

3.2 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 $50,621 $77,548 $93,714
5 Years After Graduation $88,755 $111,666 $140,650
10 Years After Graduation $109,682 $144,269 $196,932

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 $111,666 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MI, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $111,666 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9150) = $122,039 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Michigan can expect a strong earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $77,548, which increases significantly to $111,666 after five years and reaches $144,269 a decade post-graduation. When considering the purchasing power-adjusted salary for the national equivalent, the five-year earnings figure is approximately $122,039.34, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial position relative to their peers across the country.

The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (24.6%), Health Care & Social Assistance (14.2%), and Educational Services (14.1%). This diverse range of sectors suggests a robust job market for Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduates. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 3.2 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable, making it a viable option for students considering their long-term career prospects.

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 Michigan 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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