Home › California State University-Long Beach › Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering at California State University-Long Beach

Long Beach, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
73 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
75
Optimistic
73
Base Case
71
Pessimistic
Earnings $60,996/yr (-14% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (53% exposed)
Job Market Large (58,100 openings/yr)
ROI 32.9x earnings multiple (12.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #74 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Mechanical Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $975K $923K $776K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 34.8x 32.9x 27.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.9x 12.2x 10.3x
Probability of Field Employment 80% 71% 50%
DegreeOutlook Score 75 73 71

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$28,032
Out-of-state: $75,552 (12.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$35,724
-27% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,616
3.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$97,895
60% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

California State University-Long Beach's Mechanical Engineering program produces graduates earning $60,996/yr — within striking distance of the $70,527 national average for this field.

The 32.9x 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 — 53% task exposure — and the 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $16,616 in median debt clears quickly against $60,996 in annual earnings.

Ranked #74 out of 320 programs, California State University-Long Beach's Mechanical Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $60,996 to $97,895 over five years (60% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Long Beach

California State University-Long Beach's 47% acceptance rate reflects moderate selectivity, with 34,131 students enrolled in Long Beach, CA. With 49% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Long Beach →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 320 schools offering Mechanical Engineering →

Mechanical Engineering at Other Schools

California State University Maritime Academy ($92,315) Duke University ($89,938) University of California-Berkeley ($88,497) Franklin W Olin College of Engineering ($87,590) Cornell University ($85,440) Princeton University ($85,328) University of Notre Dame ($84,999) Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($83,957)

Other Majors at California State University-Long Beach

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($100,178) Construction Engineering Technologies ($89,003) Computer Engineering ($79,809) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($77,278) Civil Engineering ($73,342) Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering ($66,477) Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($66,090) Computer Science ($60,378)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Long Beach's Mechanical Engineering program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. California State University-Long Beach's Mechanical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Mechanical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Mechanical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 53% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Long Beach rank so high for Mechanical Engineering?
The #74 ranking out of 320 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →