ROI Major

Engineering-Related Technologies at University of Maine

ME · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 15.11

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Engineering-Related Technologies degree from University of Maine earn a median salary of $69,154 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in ME, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $60,768. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.3 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

$58,065

Typical Career

$69,154

Top Performers

$83,557

Estimated break-even: 6.3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$461

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,763. Most students can comfortably afford about a $461 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.8x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Maine buys what costs $1.14 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 18.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 16.0%
Educational Services 15.2%

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

$60,768

Nominal: $69,154 in Maine (COL 113.8% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

6.3 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 $36,966 $51,537 $69,727
5 Years After Graduation $58,065 $69,154 $83,557
10 Years After Graduation $81,043 $91,987 $110,938

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 $69,154 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in ME, which has a cost-of-living index of 113.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $69,154 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1380) = $60,768 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Engineering-Related Technologies program at the University of Maine can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $51,537, which increases to $69,154 after five years and reaches $91,987 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $60,768. This suggests that while initial earnings may be modest, the long-term financial benefits of this degree are significant, especially when considering inflation and cost of living adjustments.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (18.1%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.0%), and Educational Services (15.2%). This diversification indicates a solid demand for skills acquired through the program. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 6.3 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing this degree appears favorable. Overall, students can anticipate a worthwhile career trajectory in various sectors, enhancing both their professional and financial prospects.

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

Compare with Another School

See how the Engineering-Related Technologies degree at University of Maine 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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