Average Tuition Cost for Graduate Schools Offering Engineering Programs
Majors Overview August 31, 2015Engineering professionals develop innovative and modern services and products to improve and simplify daily activities. Students looking for higher salaries and advanced careers should look into engineering graduate schools.
Average Tuition Cost for Schools Offering Engineering Programs
In this article, we take a look at the average tuition cost for engineering graduate school. Tuition costs for an engineering graduate school vary in accordance with the type of school and the type of program. Tuition fees are often lower in public colleges, such as state universities, rather than in private universities. Tuition fees in many graduate schools also include registration, application, and book fees, whereby the total cost of attendance could rise. It isn’t easy to determine average tuition costs, as there is a great variation of rates among schools, with rates fluctuating from semester to semester in some schools.
Tuition Rates at Graduate Schools of Engineering
Private and public schools are ranked annually by the U.S. News & World Report on the basis of the quality of the program, student outcomes and teachers. In the following table, you can find the yearly in-state, full-time tuition rates for 2014 for the five best graduate schools for engineering. These rates include fees.
| Name of School | Private or Public | Annual Tuition |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Non-profit, Private | $43,210 |
| Stanford University | Non-profit, Private | $45,480 |
| University of California – Berkeley | Public | $26,322 (Out-of-State) and $11,220 (In-state) |
| California Institute of Technology | Non-profit, Private | $39,990 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Non-profit, Private | $40,000 |
Waivers of Tuition and Fees
Graduate students at many schools get a waiver on fees; these could be partial or full tuition waivers for certain programs or students. Each school may have its eligibility requirements. The school’s registrar can inform students whether they qualify for a waiver. The following are a few examples of waivers:
| Name of School | Waiver | Distinction |
| University of Missouri | Tuition | Full semester fellowship or assistantship |
| Florida State University | Tuition | School or state employees, graduate assistants |
| Brown University | Application Fee | Financial need |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Application Fee | Financial need |
| University of Central Florida | Tuition | Part- or full-time assistantship, graduate teaching |
| University of California – Berkeley | Tuition | Non-resident doctoral candidates |
Grants and Fellowships Aimed at Providing Tuition Assistance
Various forms of free student aid, including grants, are available through many organizations to engineering graduate students. Annual allowances or stipends are provided by some while full tuition assistance is available through others. Many schools have affiliation with the granting organization though students at some schools may be allowed to select the institution he or she wishes to attend. The following are some examples of assistance:
•Various fellowship and grant opportunities, including cultural research project funding and tuition assistance, are available through the National Science Foundation.
•Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense, the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship covers up to three years of insurance, full tuition, annual stipend and fees for many engineering disciplines. These could be at any school in the United States.
•Up to $10,000 in fellowships and scholarships are available through the Society of Women Engineers. Women interested in computer science and engineering should look into this.
•Up to $10,000 in tuition assistance is offered by the Environmental Engineers of the Future. A commitment of two years of employment with the organization, after they graduate, is an expectation for students who receive the award.
Job and Wage Outlook
Of the ten highest paid college majors, seven were in engineering, as stated in PayScale.com’s 2013-2014 salary report. While the findings revolve around bachelor’s degree holders, the website also reveals that holders of an equivalent master’s degree bring in approximately 17% more than undergraduates. Up to 26% higher wages are earned by Ph.D.s. As of August 2014, the 10th to 90th percentile of wages for these high-ranking majors are listed in the following charts:
| Jobs in Engineering | Bachelor Degree | Master Degree | Doctorate Degree |
| Aerospace Engineering | $55,961 – $106,108 | $62,591 – $103,364 | $79,463- $148,781 |
| Chemical Engineering | $54,091 – $109,283 | $60,055 – $124,098 | $69,967 – $139,581 |
| Computer Engineering | $56,311 – $101,098 | $70,000- $93,369 | No data |
| Electrical Engineering | $69,902 – $100,706 | $59,979- $109,960 | $69,902 – $144,178 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $46,976 – $86,500 | $60,043 – $108,050 | $62,400- $104,456 |
| Petroleum Engineering | $71,726 – $165,646 | $72,240- $154,590 | $101,736 – $138,000 |
| Nuclear Engineering | $58,875 – $126,195 | $59,413 – $103,093 | $75,594 – $146,472 |
