Michigan Tech Top Public University in State for Mid-Career Earnings of Graduates

Michigan Technological University ranks first among public universities in Michigan for the mid-career salaries earned by its graduates. In Payscale.com’s latest College Salary Report, Michigan Tech also ranked 13^th nationwide for mid-career salaries of graduates of public universities and 20^th in the nation for mid-career engineering salaries.

Payscale.com ranks schools based on the median mid-career salary of their bachelor’s degree graduates. The website, which analyzes earnings, defines mid-career as 10 years or more of work in a field. Median means that half of those surveyed earned more and half earned less.

Mid-career Salary

The median mid-career salary reported for Michigan Tech was $99,900. The report also listed early-career salaries, defined as earnings by graduates who have been working five years or less in their fields. Michigan Tech graduates’ median early-career salary was $62,800, placing Tech 7^th among public universities nationally.

The 2015-16 College Salary Report ranked more than 1,000 4-year colleges and universities, both public and private. It showed that 76 percent of Michigan Tech bachelor’s degrees are in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.

The report also listed the majors that lead to the 10 highest paying careers. Electrical and computer engineering ranked 6^th, computer engineering – 7^th, chemical engineering – 8^th and biomedical engineering – 9^th.

Small STEM Schools

By Payscale.com’s salary metrics, the top schools in the nation are small colleges with strong engineering programs. “The colleges with the highest-earning alumni almost all have one thing in common – they produce a lot of engineers and other workers with valuable STEM degrees,” says the College Salary Report.

"The latest rankings from payscale are exciting and reflect the high demand for Michigan Tech graduates,” said Les Cook, vice president for student affairs and advancement. “Employers are looking for Michigan Tech graduates. We had record numbers of companies and students at our Career Fairs last year, and if early numbers are any indication, we will surpass those records this fall."

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan’s flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.