Mechanical Engineeringat California State University-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $55,405/yr in their first year — about 21.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $909K; scenarios range from $766K to $960K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Cal State LA
First-year earnings of $55,405 place California State University-Los Angeles below the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering — worth weighing against tuition and cost of living.
With a 33.4x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 20% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Mechanical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
With first-year pay of $55,405 far exceeding the $12,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #111 ranking among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs places California State University-Los Angeles in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
The $55,405-to-$94,122 earnings arc over five years reflects a 70% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.
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 Cal State LA'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 Cal State LA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Cal State LA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Cal State LA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at Cal State LA
What does a 72/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Mechanical Engineering at California State University-Los Angeles?
At 72/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Mechanical Engineering at California State University-Los Angeles?
The 53% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is California State University-Los Angeles a good choice for Mechanical Engineering despite lower starting pay?
Starting salary is one data point. If California State University-Los Angeles's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.