ROI Major

Engineering, General at University of Cincinnati

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.01

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Engineering, General degree from University of Cincinnati earn a median salary of $90,718 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $100,686. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.8 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

$78,061

Typical Career

$90,718

Top Performers

$107,401

Estimated break-even: 3.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$605

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,560. Most students can comfortably afford about a $605 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.3x 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 21.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 15.4%
Educational Services 10.0%

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

$100,686

Nominal: $90,718 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).

3.8 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 $59,724 $72,709 $82,878
5 Years After Graduation $78,061 $90,718 $107,401
10 Years After Graduation $91,870 $115,147 $141,715

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 $90,718 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)
= $90,718 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $100,686 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 Engineering, General from the University of Cincinnati experience a strong earnings trajectory. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $72,709, increasing to $90,718 five years post-graduation and reaching $115,147 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $100,685.90 nationally, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in earnings relative to the cost of living in Ohio, where the cost of living index is 0.901 compared to the national average.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (21.9%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (15.4%), and Educational Services (10.0%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 3.8 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing this degree. Overall, the combination of solid earnings potential and diverse industry opportunities supports a positive outlook for students considering this path.

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 University of Cincinnati 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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