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Engineering · Engineering Rank #16 of 47

Engineeringat Fort Lewis College

Graduates earn $50,985/yr in their first year — about 26.0% below the national Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $691K; scenarios range from $617K to $710K depending on AI disruption.

Durango, CO Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
62 SOLID
63
Optimistic
60
Pessimistic
Earnings
$50,985
1-year post-graduation
ROI
18.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$691K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
51% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Fort Lewis College

A general engineering degree from a college in a unique market like Durango presents a distinct career landscape. The local economy, while vibrant, isn't a traditional engineering hub, meaning fewer direct pipelines to high-paying, specialized engineering roles within the immediate area. Your path might involve greater reliance on a broad problem-solving skillset, potentially leading to initial roles in technical project coordination, sales, or more general technical support before specializing.

The listed high-earning career paths often require significant experience, advanced degrees, or relocation to larger metropolitan areas with more robust engineering sectors. To truly leverage this degree, you'll need to be exceptionally proactive in seeking internships *outside* the immediate Durango area and actively building a professional network from early on. Without targeted specialization and strategic networking, you might find yourself in a highly competitive market for entry-level engineering roles.

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
$617K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score60/100
Earnings Multiple15.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$691K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple17.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$710K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score63/100
Earnings Multiple18.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where 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
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
3
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

How Fort Lewis College stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Franklin W Olin College of Engineering
MA · Private nonprofit
63
DW Score
$109K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
Harvey Mudd College
CA · Private nonprofit
62
DW Score
$92K
1-yr earn
3.7x
ROI
Brown University
RI · Private nonprofit
60
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
Top score
University of California-Davis
CA · Public
72
DW Score
$83K
1-yr earn
19.5x
ROI
McNeese State University
LA · Public
72
DW Score
$76K
1-yr earn
28.4x
ROI
Also at Fort Lewis College

Other top programs at Fort Lewis College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Fort Lewis College, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

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

Compare Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Engineering at Fort Lewis College

How does Fort Lewis College's Engineering program score?

This program scores 62/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Engineering graduates.

How vulnerable is Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 46% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Engineering earnings lower at Fort Lewis College?

Lower starting pay at Fort Lewis College may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.