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Engineering · Engineering Physics Rank #3 of 8

Engineering Physicsat Colorado School of Mines

Graduates earn $72,858/yr in their first year — about 21.0% above the national Engineering Physics average. Base-case 10-year earnings $837K; scenarios range from $714K to $879K depending on AI disruption.

Golden, CO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
65 SOLID
66
Optimistic
62
Pessimistic
Earnings
$72,858
1-year post-graduation
ROI
10.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$837K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
57% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Colorado School of Mines

Colorado School of Mines' Engineering Physics program provides a unique blend of deep scientific understanding and practical application, highly valued across advanced industries. Your strong earning potential reflects the intense demand from employers in aerospace, defense, national labs, and high-tech manufacturing, where innovation in materials, energy, and sensing is paramount. The program's rigor and the institution's reputation ensure you're well-prepared for roles demanding complex problem-solving, from designing next-generation components to leading R&D teams. While AI risk appears high, this indicates a shift in the *nature* of work, not its disappearance. You'll likely use AI as a powerful tool for analysis and simulation. Therefore, focus on cultivating your critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the unique human creativity needed to pose novel questions and integrate AI-driven insights into groundbreaking solutions.

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
$714K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple8.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$837K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score65/100
Earnings Multiple9.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$879K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple10.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Engineering Physics 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
Physicists
+4.0% 10-yr growth · 1,700 openings/yr
$166,290/yr
Very High
3
Natural sciences managers
+3.7% 10-yr growth · 8,500 openings/yr
$161,180/yr
High
4
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
5
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/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 Engineering Physics

How Colorado School of Mines stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
WI · Public
70
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
24.6x
ROI
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL · Public
69
DW Score
$64K
1-yr earn
16.1x
ROI
Murray State University
KY · Public
54
DW Score
$58K
1-yr earn
13.9x
ROI
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach
FL · Private nonprofit
44
DW Score
$57K
1-yr earn
2.4x
ROI
Delaware State University
DE · Public
52
DW Score
$54K
1-yr earn
12.1x
ROI
Also at Colorado School of Mines

Other top programs at Colorado School of Mines

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Colorado School of Mines, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Engineering Physics at Colorado School of Mines

What does a 65/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Engineering Physics at Colorado School of Mines?

At 65/100, Colorado School of Mines's Engineering Physics program delivers middling returns. School cost and personal fit become important decision factors.

Should I worry about AI if I study Engineering Physics at Colorado School of Mines?

The 52% 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.