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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #106 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat Auburn University

Graduates earn $78,680/yr in their first year — about 2.0% above the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $831K; scenarios range from $701K to $870K depending on AI disruption.

Auburn, AL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
75
Optimistic
69
Pessimistic
Earnings
$78,680
1-year post-graduation
ROI
17.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$831K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Auburn University

Graduates earn $78,680/yr, roughly in line with the $77,516 national median for Electrical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 16.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $78,680 far exceeding the $22,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #106 out of 262 programs, Auburn University's Electrical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth is modest: $78,680 to $94,383 over five years (20% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$701K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple14.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$831K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple16.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$870K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple17.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Auburn University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Electrical Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Computer hardware engineers
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 4,700 openings/yr
$155,020/yr
Very High
3
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
4
Electronics engineers, except computer
+6.2% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$127,590/yr
High
5
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
6
Electrical engineers
+7.2% 10-yr growth · 11,700 openings/yr
$111,910/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Electrical Engineering

How Auburn University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$139K
1-yr earn
6.2x
ROI
Top score
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
79
DW Score
$137K
1-yr earn
39.5x
ROI
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA · Private nonprofit
68
DW Score
$117K
1-yr earn
6.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
77
DW Score
$97K
1-yr earn
25.4x
ROI
Also at Auburn University

Other top programs at Auburn University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Auburn University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at Auburn University

How does Auburn University's Electrical Engineering program score?

A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Auburn University's Electrical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.