# Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College: Polymer / Plastics Engineering (bachelor's)

Erie, PA. IPEDS 214591, CIP 14.32. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-erie-behrend-college/majors/polymer-plastics-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $68,438
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $87,636 (U.S. median for this major: $88,268 across 6 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $27,000)
- Rank in PA: 2 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the PA median for this major (3 colleges, $87,636): +$0
- Versus the U.S. median: -$632

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.36 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $87,636 minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $16,092 | $70,161 | 1.4 years |
| 30-48k | $17,884 | $77,974 | 1.5 years |
| 48-75k | $20,539 | $89,550 | 1.7 years |
| 75-110k | $26,914 | $117,345 | 2.3 years |
| 110k+ | $29,692 | $129,457 | 2.5 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Polymer / Plastics Engineering at PA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | $88,433 | $27,875 | $25,110 | 54% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College | $87,636 | $27,000 | $24,558 | 44% |
| Pennsylvania State University | $87,636 | $27,000 | $32,875 | 86% |

## Careers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $149,380 Erie, PA, $164,690 PA, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Materials Engineers (SOC 17-2131): median wage not reported Erie, PA, $98,030 PA, $112,860 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.5% by 2035
- Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041): median wage not reported Erie, PA, $116,970 PA, $125,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.7% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).