Graduates earn among the highest incomes nationally, with outcomes that significantly exceed peer expectations.
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.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute graduates experience steady earnings growth reflecting career advancement in high-demand technical fields. Earnings rise from $85,038 six years after enrollment to $100,553 at eight years and $103,470 at ten years, representing 21.7% growth from the six-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduates from this institution significantly outperform peers — earnings are 64% higher than similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $27,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute students graduate with median debt of $27,000, above the peer median of $24,181 by $2,819 but manageable relative to exceptional earning outcomes. Debt ranges from $17,500 at the 25th percentile to $30,000 at the 75th percentile, indicating relatively consistent borrowing patterns across the student body.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute delivers exceptional return on educational investment, ranking at the 98.2nd percentile nationally—among the highest we track. Graduates earn $22,408 beyond expectations relative to similar students, placing WPI in the 95.3rd percentile for earnings uplift.
Approximately 28.7% of graduates continue to graduate or professional study, reflecting both strong preparation for advanced technical education and i...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Computer Science leads program-level earnings at $124,359, followed by Industrial Engineering at $92,896 and Electrical Engineering at $91,694, reflecting exceptional market demand for these specializations. Business programs produce $89,485 earnings while maintaining strong national rankings, indicating successful integration of business training with technical knowledge.
Even lower-earning programs like Biology at $71,939 significantly exceed national averages for life sciences fields. The concentration of programs above $80,000 demonstrates institutional effectiveness across multiple technical disciplines, with Mechatronics ranking #1 nationally despite moderate earnings, indicating exceptional value creation.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution shows strong outcomes across career paths while maintaining focus on technical specializations. The range from $77,738 at the 25th percentile to $129,699 at the 75th percentile reflects career diversity within STEM fields, with a 1.7:1 ratio indicating relatively compressed variation compared to institutions with broader program portfolios.
