U.S. median for this major: $98,697.
College Scorecard field of study; 41 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 24% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $25,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,329. College Scorecard.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Electrical Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Electrical Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,415 | $40,673 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $8,497 | $36,707 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $10,308 | $44,531 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $17,724 | $76,568 | 1.6 years |
| $110k+ | $23,254 | $100,457 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (40% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Electrical Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($83,853) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $48,056 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Electrical Engineering at Illinois colleges
Every Illinois college we cover that reports Electrical Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $111,783 | $21,600 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 2 | Bradley University | $100,391 | $27,000 | $22,719 | 76% |
| 3 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $99,325 | $25,113 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 4 | Illinois Institute of Technology | $98,743 | $25,500 | $18,425 | 75% |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | $93,962 | $25,000 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 6 | University of Illinois Chicago | $92,002 | $23,500 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 7 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $83,853 | $19,750 | $13,297 | 62% |
6 more Illinois colleges offer Electrical Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Electrical Engineering graduates
Electrical engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +9.9% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Computer Hardware Engineers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +9.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Acceptance rate: 87% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 62% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,390
- Full cost breakdown · all 93 majors · overview
Related majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
- Mechanical Engineering$86,238
- Civil Engineering$81,888
- Engineering—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians$87,442
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Electrical Engineering questions
How much do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Electrical Engineering graduates earn?
Electrical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn a median $83,853 four years after graduating and $68,670 one year after. The U.S. median for Electrical Engineering graduates across 257 colleges is $98,697.
How much debt do Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Electrical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Electrical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is $19,750, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $25,000.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good school for Electrical Engineering in Illinois?
On pay, Electrical Engineering graduates of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale earn $83,853 four years out, $14,890 below the median for the same major across 7 Illinois colleges ($98,743) and $14,844 below the U.S. median ($98,697). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale rank for Electrical Engineering in Illinois?
Of 7 Illinois colleges reporting Electrical Engineering graduate earnings, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale ranks 7th. The highest is University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at $111,783.
What jobs do Electrical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is electrical engineer, with a median wage of $107,860 in Illinois and $120,630 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and computer hardware engineers.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale the right fit for your family?
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Electrical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-carbondale/majors/electrical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).