Home Schools Colorado State University-Fort Collins Electrical Engineering
Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #43 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Graduates earn $78,038/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $959K; scenarios range from $788K to $1,013K depending on AI disruption.

Fort Collins, CO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
75 STRONG
76
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$78,038
1-year post-graduation
ROI
19.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$959K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

First-year earnings of $78,038 track close to the $77,516 national median for Electrical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 18.6x 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 22% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $25,176 in median debt against $78,038 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #43 out of 262 programs, Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Electrical Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $78,038 to $107,989 shows 38% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

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
$788K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple15.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$959K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple18.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$1,013K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple19.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Colorado State University-Fort Collins'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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins 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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Other top programs at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Colorado State University-Fort Collins, 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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins

How does Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Electrical Engineering program score?

A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Colorado State University-Fort Collins'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.

Why does Colorado State University-Fort Collins rank so high for Electrical Engineering?

The #43 ranking out of 262 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.