# University of Massachusetts-Lowell: Polymer / Plastics Engineering (bachelor's)

Lowell, MA. IPEDS 166513, CIP 14.32. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-massachusetts-lowell/majors/polymer-plastics-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $77,114
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $100,428 (U.S. median for this major: $88,268 across 6 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $27,000)
- Rank in MA: 1 of 1 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$12,160

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.37 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $100,428 minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,943 | $43,451 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $10,199 | $44,570 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $12,141 | $53,056 | under 1 year |
| 75-110k | $16,460 | $71,930 | 1.2 years |
| 110k+ | $26,139 | $114,227 | 1.9 years |

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

## Polymer / Plastics Engineering at MA colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $100,428 | $27,000 | $17,163 | 65% |

## Careers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $205,130 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, $201,430 MA, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Materials Engineers (SOC 17-2131): median wage $111,480 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, $114,100 MA, $112,860 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.5% by 2035
- Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041): median wage $109,460 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, $118,000 MA, $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).