by our College Data Analytics Team
[General Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find where general engineering graduates earn the most.
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Below are the schools whose general engineering graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is Wake Technical Community College, our #1 for general engineering graduate salaries in North Carolina. Set in the suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a public institution. General Engineering graduates of Wake Technical Community College earn a median of about $75,552 a year early in their careers.
University Of North Carolina At Asheville came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying general engineering schools. Located in the city of Asheville, University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a public institution. After graduating, general engineering degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Asheville typically earn about $91,514 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned it the #3 place for general engineering. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public institution. General Engineering graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of about $82,089 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at East Carolina University earned it the #4 place for general engineering. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a public institution. After graduating, general engineering degree recipients from East Carolina University typically earn about $85,744 annually.
A rank of #5 makes Western Carolina University one of the highest-paying schools for general engineering. Located in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a public institution. Early-career general engineering graduates from Western Carolina University make a median of around $62,244 per year.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries general engineering graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.