ROI Major

Engineering Science at Wright State University

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.13

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Engineering Science degree from Wright State University earn a median salary of $92,861 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $103,064. The degree typically pays for itself in 4 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

$73,014

Typical Career

$92,861

Top Performers

$104,958

Estimated break-even: 4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$619

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,738. Most students can comfortably afford about a $619 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 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 22.4%
Educational Services 17.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.4%

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

$103,064

Nominal: $92,861 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

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 $53,343 $68,249 $78,595
5 Years After Graduation $73,014 $92,861 $104,958
10 Years After Graduation $71,899 $107,201 $131,944

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 $92,861 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $92,861 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $103,064 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 Engineering Science at Wright State University shows a significant increase over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $68,249.00, which rises to $92,861.00 after five years and reaches $107,201.00 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $103,064.37, indicating that graduates can expect their earnings to maintain a competitive edge relative to national averages, especially given Ohio's cost of living index of 0.901.

Graduates of this program find employment primarily in Health Care & Social Assistance (22.4%), Educational Services (17.9%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.4%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately four years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of strong earning potential and diverse industry opportunities supports a positive career outlook for Engineering Science graduates from Wright State University.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Engineering Science degree at Wright State 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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