<p>So, we're down to the wire here! I can't seem to find any information about starting salaries for engineers from the different schools to get a cost/benefit ratio. Son is deciding between engineering at UIUC or Pitt, where he had been awarded the chancellors scholarship which includes tuition & fees and room & board. He is going back and forth. UIUC is in-state and he has a few small scholarships from them. Over 4 years, the difference will be about $85,000. </p>
<p>He has a preference of UIUC.</p>
<p>Will the difference in prestige and salaries make up for the difference in cost? Is there a difference between the kinds of companies that recruit at Pitt and those that recruit at Illinois? Thanks!!!!!</p>
<p>Said like a true college student with no life experience. How do you “figure it out” when you take on $85,000 in debt and make $30,000 per year? That would be a third of your income for 30 years. </p>
<p>Without knowing the OP’s ability to repay / financial situation, you really can’t give much advice.</p>
<p>the $21,000 is tuition + fees + room & board. Yes, it is that much for in-state.</p>
<p>He will not have to take on any debt either way. I am looking for some sort of data on starting salaries at both schools, and the kind of company that would be recruiting. And, lets hope that we’re not talking about $30,000 per year.</p>
<p>UIUC is more highly regarded than Pitt for engineering. It ranks in the top 5 for many engineering disciplines. It’s a great school. I would choose UIUC over Pitt every time.</p>
<p>But it’s a huge trade-off in cost. Think about it from an economic perspective and ignore the “name is everything and equates to your personal value” opinion frequently found on here.</p>
<p>If you had to choose between two schools: School A that costs $0 and you make $60,000 at graduation, and School B that costs $85,000 and you make $65,000 at graduation, which would you pick? </p>
<p>With just a simple payback and ignoring raises, it take 170 years to break even. Now, if you throw in the fact that after about 5-10 years, an MIT graduate and a Texas A&M graduate with the same performance make about the same salary, it makes no sense to go to School B. The only reason to pay for School B is if you think it will get you into some career that School A can’t (like VC). </p>
<p>And all of this also ignores the fact that a top student at Pitt will almost certainly have a higher starting salary and will have better chances at professional / graduate schools than an average student at UIUC.</p>
<p>Financially, it seems to be a slam dunk to go to Pitt.</p>
<p>Son’s reasons for Illinois are the following; He doesn’t like the city feel of Pitt as well, He likes the idea of being closer to home, and he feels a degree from Illinois will always be more meaningful. Pitt’s best major is bioengineering, whereas son isn’t as interested in that field. He likes physics (both schools), industrial (both schools), aeronautical (only illinois), and nuclear (only illinois.) He doesn’t know if he’ll be attending graduate school any time soon. </p>
<p>Although I feel that Pitt would give him more opportunities from a financial standpoint later on, DH says we planned for his education and he has money for his education, and should go to place where he feels is the best fit. </p>
<p>It’s a really hard proposition to turn down though.</p>
<p>Perhaps a factor to consider, especially if son has allergies or asthma, is the difference in air quality. When visiting colleges in the Pittsburgh area I was uncomfortable with the air pollution. I suppose the air sensitivity is like that of any big city.</p>
<p>I would also look at those scholarships at U of Pitt, what are the requirments. Engineering is very hard and if they are asking to keep at 3.5 or better you may need to ask some questions Like avg gpa at U of Pitt engineering.</p>
<p>If everything looks OK, I would go to U of Pitt</p>
<p>You only need a 3.0 to maintain the scholarship.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any insights as to the companies that recruit? For example, would the companies that recruit at Pitt tend to be more regional? I read somewhere that Pitt MBA’s make considerably less than CMU MBA’s, because the companies that recruit at Pitt were more regional than the companies that recruit at CMU. However, engineering may be different, but I can’t find any information.</p>