1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Trine University](/school/trine-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Trine University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/trine-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/trine-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/trine-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/trine-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/trine-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Trine University graduates earn? The reported median is $67,814 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $68,250 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$436 per year. Trine University graduates earn about $4,966 more than the model expects for similar students, a result in the 71st percentile nationally. The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $7,721. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $2,755. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $6,082. Four years after completion, median earnings are $67,814, in the 72nd percentile. That is below the peer median of $68,250 for comparable institutions (same type and size) by $436. The return pillar lands in the 72nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings scenarios, grounded in the university's program mix, range from a downside of $49,052 to an upside of $86,102. The lowest-earning large program, Psychology, has a median of $46,798, while the highest-earning program, Electrical Engineering, reaches $92,945. Earnings four years after completion vary considerably by field at Trine University. The downside earnings scenario is $49,052, while the upside scenario reaches $86,102, a spread that reflects the mix of 13 programs with published data. Engineering fields occupy the top of that range. Electrical Engineering completers earn a median of $92,945, Chemical Engineering graduates reach $88,192, and Mechanical Engineering completers earn $86,997. The largest program, Kinesiology and Physical Education, sits lower at $58,816. An estimated 25.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure derived from the university's program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings figures capture only those working and not enrolled, the median earnings exclude completers who are in graduate school at that point. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $67,814 **Rank for difference from expectations** 71st percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Trine University reported median** $67,814 **Peer schools comparable schools · $436 above Trine University** $68,250 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $4,966 below Trine University** $62,848 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $49,052 to $86,102, around the reported median of $67,814. Compare the lower scenario with [Trine University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/trine-university/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $49,052 **Median · reported** $67,814 **Higher estimate** $86,102 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Trine University graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Trine University graduates’ reported earnings are $4,966 above that expectation, the 71st percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Trine University caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$7,721 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$2,755 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$4,966 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Trine University report the highest earnings? Trine University awards bachelor's degrees across 13 fields with published four-year earnings, and the spread between the highest- and lowest-earning programs is wide. The top-earning field, Electrical Engineering, shows a median of $92,945 four years after completion, with 12 degrees awarded. Chemical Engineering follows at $88,192 on 27 degrees awarded. Mechanical Engineering, the second-largest program at the university, reaches $86,997 with 49 degrees awarded. The largest program, Kinesiology and Physical Education, reports a median of $58,816 on 80 degrees awarded. Engineering fields report higher median earnings than this moderate-earning program, illustrating part of the earnings spread at Trine University. The program mix at Trine University is anchored in engineering: Engineering accounts for 29.3% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and the five highest-earning fields are all engineering disciplines. The top earner, Electrical Engineering, shows a median of $92,945 four years after completion with 12 degrees awarded. Chemical Engineering follows at $88,192 (27 degrees awarded), and Mechanical Engineering at $86,997 (49 degrees awarded). Outside of engineering, the largest program is Kinesiology and Physical Education, which awarded 80 degrees and shows a median of $58,816. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering** $92,945 **Chemical Engineering** $88,192 **Mechanical Engineering** $86,997 **Computer Engineering** $79,824 **Civil Engineering** $78,808 **Computer and Information Sciences, General** $78,520 **Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians** $77,517 **Accounting and Related Services** $65,503 [Explore Trine University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/trine-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios grounded in the university's program mix show a downside of $49,052, a typical outcome of $67,814, and an upside that reaches $86,102. The spread reflects the mix of fields: Electrical Engineering, the highest-earning program, reaches $92,945 four years after completion, while among the largest programs by degrees awarded, Psychology sits at $46,798. Four years after finishing, Trine University graduates who received federal aid and are working earn a median of $67,814. The earnings cohort numbers 701 completers, and Azimuth places the figure at the 72nd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $4,966 more than the model expects for similar students. Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a range: a typical scenario of $67,814, a downside scenario of $49,052, and an upside scenario of $86,102. An estimated 25.0% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).