Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
McNeese State University graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early and mid-career phases. Median earnings increase from $38,713 six years after enrollment to $41,254 at eight years and reach $46,453 at ten years, representing 20.0% growth from the six-year to ten-year measurement period.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings fall below the peer average for similar institutions.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $23,000 in debt with typical earnings.
McNeese State University students graduate with median debt of $23,000, nearly matching the peer median of $21,105 and resulting in modest additional borrowing of $1,895 compared to similar institutions. Student debt ranges from $5,168 at the 25th percentile to $23,588 at the 75th percentile, showing variation in borrowing patterns across the student body.
McNeese State University demonstrates typical return on investment performance, ranking in the 55.0th percentile nationally with around the national average outcomes relative to educational costs. Graduates earn $2,021 beyond expectations compared to similar students nationally, placing the university in the 63.7th percentile for earnings uplift and indicating above average effectiveness in supporting student success.
Approximately 26.4% of McNeese State graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with medium confidence. This...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
McNeese State University's strongest earnings outcomes concentrate in technical and professional programs that serve regional workforce needs. Applied Engineering leads with exceptional earnings of $91,074, ranking #4 nationally and representing the university's flagship technical program.
Computer Science graduates earn $68,676, while Adult Health Nursing graduates achieve $66,112, both delivering strong professional outcomes. Biology, General produces earnings of $58,995 with excellent national ranking of #99, demonstrating strength in sciences preparation.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings outcomes show considerable variation across career paths, with the 25th to 75th percentile range spanning $26,345 to $71,043, a 2.7:1 ratio indicating significant program-driven differences. Low-income graduates earn $39,800, demonstrating the university's effectiveness in supporting economic mobility for students from lower-income backgrounds.
