Mechanical Engineeringat Alfred University
Graduates earn $63,747/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $762K; scenarios range from $661K to $794K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Alfred University
At $63,747/yr, Mechanical Engineering graduates from Alfred University land near the $70,527 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
An earnings multiple of 4.8x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Mechanical Engineering's typical career paths, with 53% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 17% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $27,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #285 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, Alfred University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $63,747 to $82,912 over five years — a 30% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Alfred University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Mechanical Engineering
How Alfred University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Alfred University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Alfred University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at Alfred University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at Alfred University?
This program scores 58/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Mechanical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Mechanical Engineering careers?
With 53% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $661,266 in decade earnings vs $794,293 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.