Engineering and Architecture Lead ROI as Study Finds Broad Payoff for All Degrees

A Texas longitudinal study of nearly 1 million public-college students finds bachelor’s degrees deliver a positive long-run return, averaging about $86,800 in extra earnings over 15 years after costs, with total earnings around $533k vs $433k for non-students; ROI varies by major—engineering/architecture top (~$204k) and liberal arts bottom (~$35k)—but all majors pay off, with the earnings gap widening then converging and surpassing non-students after about year 10; the report also notes sticker prices vs. net costs and higher graduation rates boost returns.