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Mechanical Engineering: Purdue University-Main Campus vs University of California-Berkeley

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
In-State
21.5x
$39,968 tuition
16.4x
$59,400 tuition
Out-of-State
7.5x
$115,176 tuition
5.3x
$182,508 tuition
$858,732 10-yr earnings · Public
$975,793 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Purdue University-Main Campus University of California-Berkeley
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.5x 16.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.5x 5.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $39,968 $59,400
Year 1 Earnings $80,374 $88,497
10-Year Earnings $859K $976K
Median Debt $19,500 $13,000
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.9 months 1.8 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 69/100 67/100
Acceptance Rate 50.3% 11.7%

Both programs have very high AI automation risk (53% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Mechanical Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates.

Purdue University-Main Campus University of California-Berkeley
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $39,968 $59,400
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $115,176 $182,508
10-Year Projected Earnings $859K $976K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 21.5x 16.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.5x 5.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +21% +27%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Mechanical Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Purdue University-Main Campus University of California-Berkeley
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $903K $859K $730K $1,034K $976K $813K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 22.6x 21.5x 18.3x 17.4x 16.4x 13.7x
DegreeWorth Score 72 69 63 70 67 60

For the full AI analysis of Mechanical Engineering career paths, see the Purdue University-Main Campus or University of California-Berkeley program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$19,432
Purdue University-Main Campus saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$8,123/yr
University of California-Berkeley grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
21.5x / 16.4x
Out-of-state: 7.5x / 5.3x

Career Paths

Mechanical Engineering graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Aerospace engineers $134,830 4,500 +6.1% 57%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 4,100 +8.1% 50%
Mechanical engineers $102,320 18,100 +9.1% 66%
Cost estimators $77,070 16,900 -4.2% 50%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University-Main Campus → Mechanical Engineering at University of California-Berkeley →

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Mechanical Engineering Overview

View all schools offering Mechanical Engineering →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Mechanical Engineering: Purdue University-Main Campus or University of California-Berkeley?
Purdue University-Main Campus scores 69/100 while University of California-Berkeley scores 67/100. Purdue University-Main Campus has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Mechanical Engineering?
Purdue University-Main Campus has an in-state earnings multiple of 21.5x vs University of California-Berkeley's 16.4x. That means Purdue University-Main Campus grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Purdue University-Main Campus and University of California-Berkeley compare on Mechanical Engineering earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $80,374 at Purdue University-Main Campus vs $88,497 at University of California-Berkeley. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $858,732 vs $975,793 — a difference of $117,061.
How much does Mechanical Engineering cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $39,968 at Purdue University-Main Campus and $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley. Median debt at graduation is $19,500 vs $13,000. Both programs lead to the same Mechanical Engineering career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.