Systems Engineering graduates from Southern Methodist University earn $163,769 median salary — above the national average for this program.
Systems Engineering at Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas • Master's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Systems Engineering at Southern Methodist University
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Southern Methodist University and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Systems Engineering at the master's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 40 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Southern Methodist University, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $163,769 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $137,931 across all institutions offering Systems Engineering, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Southern Methodist University, the mean median-earnings figure is $83,819, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. Median federal debt is not separately reported for this program at this school.. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Systems Engineering at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $227,052 | $44,052 |
| University of Southern California | $178,619 | — |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | $168,407 | — |
| Southern Methodist University (this school) | $163,769 | — |
| Johns Hopkins University | $154,775 | $20,500 |
| George Washington University | $154,767 | $37,964 |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus | $152,854 | $37,900 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $152,353 | — |
| Florida Institute of Technology | $149,291 | — |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | $145,788 | — |
Other Programs at Southern Methodist University
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $188,716 | $98,182 |
| Information Science/Studies | $173,816 | $52,712 |
| Computer Systems Analysis | $172,353 | $95,275 |
| Systems Engineering (current) | $163,769 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $155,769 | $85,733 |
| Law | $153,614 | $145,569 |
| Real Estate | $147,770 | $51,966 |
| Applied Mathematics | $144,761 | $60,500 |
| Manufacturing Engineering | $141,296 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $140,799 | $50,500 |
Other Schools with Systems Engineering
Quick picks offering the same program — compare side by side
About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.