Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility in the Midwest
Updated
Regional list from Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility
Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility in the Midwest ranks 33 Engineering Technology programs in the Midwest. Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page.
Missouri University of Science and Technology ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $82,957 for its students ten years after entry. Across the listed schools, the median earnings figure runs from $82,957 at the top to $46,600 at the bottom, with a median of $55,198.
Every school on the list is a public institution. Ferris State University posts the lowest average net price at $8,624, and Purdue University-Main Campus sits at the 95th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 10 years after entry | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Pell share | Mobility percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri University of Science and Technology · Rolla, MO | $82,957 | $16,298 | $10,912 | 22.8% | 82nd |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology reports median earnings of $82,957 for its students ten years after entry, the highest on this list. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering-Related Fields (77 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering-Related Fields ($91,035) | ||||||
| 2 | Michigan Technological University · Houghton, MI | $78,198 | $14,182 | $2,045 | 20.2% | 82nd |
| An average net price of $2,045 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with an 82nd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions at Michigan Technological University. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (36 graduates), Engineering-Related Fields (21 graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (9 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($83,394) | ||||||
| 3 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $72,424 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 13.0% | 95th |
| Purdue University-Main Campus ranks 3rd on this page, and its students post median earnings of $72,424 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (307 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (163 graduates), Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians (105 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($97,594), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($88,474), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($86,891) | ||||||
| 4 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $67,253 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 20.1% | 98th |
| With a 98th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, Michigan State University shows a Pell share of 20%. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering-Related Fields (172 graduates), Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (41 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($95,387), Engineering-Related Fields ($94,143) | ||||||
| 5 | Iowa State University · Ames, IA | $63,386 | $18,589 | $10,582 | 18.8% | 92nd |
| Iowa State University combines an average net price of $18,589 with median earnings of $63,386 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering-Related Fields (93 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering-Related Fields ($82,548) | ||||||
| 6 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $62,203 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 19.7% | 81st |
| Ten years after entry, median earnings at North Dakota State University-Main Campus reach $62,203, and the school sits at the 81st percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (49 graduates) | ||||||
| 7 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $62,117 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 32.1% | 94th |
| Illinois State University reports a Pell share of 32% alongside an average net price of $11,568 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (33 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (23 graduates), Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians ($76,731), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($76,121) | ||||||
| 8 | University of Wisconsin-Platteville · Platteville, WI | $61,760 | $16,032 | $9,009 | 21.1% | 74th |
| Ranking 8th on this list, University of Wisconsin-Platteville posts median earnings of $61,760 for its students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (98 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($83,958) | ||||||
| 9 | University of Wisconsin-Stout · Menomonie, WI | $58,084 | $17,490 | $10,966 | 23.9% | 72nd |
| An average net price of $17,490 and a 72nd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions are reported by University of Wisconsin-Stout. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (42 graduates), Engineering-Related Fields (27 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering-Related Fields ($86,490), Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General ($76,784) | ||||||
| 10 | Northern Illinois University · Dekalb, IL | $57,808 | $13,391 | $10,126 | 47.3% | 92nd |
| Northern Illinois University shows a Pell share of 47%, and its students earn a median of $57,808 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (58 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General ($81,554) | ||||||
| 11 | Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS | $57,262 | $19,406 | $13,178 | 20.7% | 81st |
| Kansas State University ranks 11th on this page, with an average net price of $13,178 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (69 graduates), Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($91,809), Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General ($72,544) | ||||||
| 12 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $56,922 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 21.0% | 73rd |
| Ten years after entry, median earnings at Minnesota State University-Mankato are $56,922, and the school's mobility percentile on Azimuth's index among nonprofit four-year institutions is 73rd. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (14 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (11 graduates), Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (6 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($83,115), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($80,482) | ||||||
| 13 | University of Nebraska-Lincoln · Lincoln, NE | $56,887 | $17,747 | $12,751 | 22.8% | 88th |
| University of Nebraska-Lincoln ranks 13th on this list, reporting median earnings of $56,887 for all students ten years after entry and a 23% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (58 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($88,628) | ||||||
| 14 | Grand Valley State University · Allendale, MI | $56,118 | $16,317 | $12,272 | 29.2% | 92nd |
| An average net price of $12,272 for families earning under $30,000 and a 92nd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions are two figures Grand Valley State University posts. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (19 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians ($80,398) | ||||||
| 15 | Central Michigan University · Mount Pleasant, MI | $55,874 | $17,597 | $12,185 | 31.4% | 79th |
| Central Michigan University ranks 15th on this list, with median earnings of $55,874 ten years after entry, and its average net price is $17,597. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (22 graduates), Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (13 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (8 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($86,472) | ||||||
| 16 | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater · Whitewater, WI | $55,356 | $14,158 | $8,440 | 25.2% | 88th |
| A 25% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants and an average net price of $14,158 sit alongside median earnings of $55,356 ten years after entry at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (50 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians ($81,385) | ||||||
| 17 | Indiana University-Indianapolis · Indianapolis, IN | $55,198 | $11,668 | $5,701 | 37.3% | 89th |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis shows an 89th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its median earnings ten years after entry reach $55,198. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (52 graduates), Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians (38 graduates), Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($90,782), Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($87,114), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($85,533) | ||||||
| 18 | University of Northern Iowa · Cedar Falls, IA | $55,177 | $15,901 | $10,863 | 27.4% | 84th |
| With an average net price of $10,863 for families earning under $30,000, University of Northern Iowa also reports median earnings of $55,177 for all students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (35 graduates), Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (12 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($87,580) | ||||||
| 19 | Ferris State University · Big Rapids, MI | $54,735 | $8,624 | $2,556 | 34.2% | 84th |
| Ferris State University posts the lowest average net price on the page at $8,624, and its median earnings ten years after entry are $54,735. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (106 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (99 graduates), Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($91,993), Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians ($88,670), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($86,348) | ||||||
| 20 | Western Illinois University · Macomb, IL | $54,163 | $12,937 | $6,941 | 28.1% | 70th |
| A 70th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and a 28% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants are reported by Western Illinois University. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (19 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General ($75,922) | ||||||
| 21 | Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI | $53,562 | $15,273 | $5,263 | 26.8% | 81st |
| Western Michigan University lists median earnings of $53,562 ten years after entry, and an average net price of $5,263 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (27 graduates), Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (20 graduates), Engineering-Related Fields (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering-Related Fields ($88,746), Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($84,622), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($82,740) | ||||||
| 22 | Wayne State University · Detroit, MI | $53,493 | $12,766 | $11,090 | 45.7% | 95th |
| Wayne State University reports a 46% share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants alongside a 95th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (23 graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (18 graduates), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (17 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($96,821) | ||||||
| 23 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale · Carbondale, IL | $53,390 | $13,297 | $9,415 | 38.8% | 88th |
| Median earnings of $53,390 ten years after entry and an average net price of $13,297 are the figures Southern Illinois University-Carbondale shows. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (89 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (64 graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (14 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians ($87,442), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($79,299) | ||||||
| 24 | Cleveland State University · Cleveland, OH | $52,131 | $14,764 | $11,958 | 40.5% | 90th |
| Cleveland State University reports a 90th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its median earnings ten years after entry are $52,131. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (13 graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (10 graduates) | ||||||
| 25 | Ball State University · Muncie, IN | $51,833 | $14,940 | $7,834 | 34.7% | 88th |
| Ball State University reports median earnings of $51,833 for its students ten years after entry, and an average net price of $14,940. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (34 graduates) | ||||||
| 26 | Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI | $51,793 | $15,407 | $13,250 | 36.6% | 79th |
| Eastern Michigan University sits at the 79th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, and 37% of its undergraduates receive Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering-Related Fields (37 graduates), Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (21 graduates), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (15 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($79,829), Engineering-Related Fields ($75,528) | ||||||
| 27 | Wichita State University · Wichita, KS | $51,532 | $13,194 | $9,734 | 30.6% | 73rd |
| Wichita State University ranks 27th on this list, with an average net price of $9,734 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (25 graduates), Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (21 graduates) | ||||||
| 28 | University of Toledo · Toledo, OH | $50,632 | $17,249 | $13,524 | 27.5% | 79th |
| University of Toledo posts median earnings of $50,632 ten years after entry, and 28% of its undergraduates receive Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (65 graduates), Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (30 graduates), Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (27 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians ($98,529), Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($84,736), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($83,465) | ||||||
| 29 | University of Central Missouri · Warrensburg, MO | $49,560 | $14,462 | $10,965 | 26.8% | 60th |
| An average net price of $14,462 accompanies a 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions at University of Central Missouri. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (35 graduates), Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General (27 graduates), Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians ($84,738), Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General ($75,375), Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($71,326) | ||||||
| 30 | Indiana State University · Terre Haute, IN | $48,387 | $10,873 | $6,455 | 41.6% | 78th |
| Indiana State University reports an average net price of $6,455 for families earning under $30,000, and median earnings of $48,387 for its students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (70 graduates), Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (19 graduates), Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians (15 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($79,527) | ||||||
| 31 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Bowling Green, OH | $47,896 | $24,022 | $18,396 | 23.1% | 72nd |
| Bowling Green State University-Main Campus ranks 31st on this list, with median earnings of $47,896 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other (72 graduates), Engineering-Related Fields (53 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other ($75,677) | ||||||
| 32 | Northern Michigan University · Marquette, MI | $47,107 | $14,085 | $7,697 | 28.0% | 71st |
| Northern Michigan University sits at the 71st percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, and reports an average net price of $14,085. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (16 graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (8 graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($82,326) | ||||||
| 33 | University of Akron Main Campus · Akron, OH | $46,600 | $13,946 | $10,413 | 29.1% | 60th |
| University of Akron Main Campus posts median earnings of $46,600 ten years after entry, and 29% of its undergraduates receive Pell Grants. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (42 graduates), Construction Engineering Technology/Technician (21 graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Construction Engineering Technology/Technician ($85,391), Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians ($80,611), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($77,488) | ||||||
How this list is ordered
Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The figure is the median earnings of all federally aided students at the institution, working and not enrolled, measured ten years after entry. It does not adjust for cost or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Missouri University of Science and Technology leads the list at $82,957, with Michigan Technological University trailing by a gap of $4,759.
Job market context in the Midwest
Graduates of Engineering Technology programs in the Midwest enter a labor market that links to occupations such as Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, and Industrial Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $73,046, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $59,525. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 4.8% higher, with about 2,528 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. These market figures describe the occupations, not the earnings of any listed school's graduates; the ranking above uses each institution's own median earnings ten years after entry.
Related rankings
- Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility
- Best Colleges in the Midwest
- Engineering Technology Colleges in the Northeast for Social Mobility
- Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility in the South
- Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility in the West
- Best Engineering Technology Colleges in the Midwest