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Engineering · Systems Engineering Rank #7 of 11

Systems Engineeringat Kennesaw State University

Graduates earn $62,015/yr in their first year — about 18.0% below the national Systems Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $637K; scenarios range from $566K to $652K depending on AI disruption.

Kennesaw, GA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
61 SOLID
62
Optimistic
57
Pessimistic
Earnings
$62,015
1-year post-graduation
ROI
25.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$637K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
56% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Kennesaw State University

Kennesaw State's Systems Engineering program offers a focused pathway into a specialized field. The initial earnings for graduates, while strong, often reflect the regional labor market dynamics in Georgia, which may differ from the national average that includes graduates from more established defense industry hubs or top-tier research institutions. You'll likely find opportunities in local manufacturing, logistics, and IT integration firms like Lockheed Martin or Delta, where the role emphasizes process optimization and project management within existing frameworks.

The very high AI risk indicates that many analytical and design automation tasks central to systems engineering are ripe for algorithmic assistance. Your success will hinge on adapting to this shift, focusing on higher-level strategic thinking, ethical considerations, and human-system interaction. To thrive, prioritize developing strong communication, leadership, and adaptability skills, ensuring you can manage and innovate *with* AI tools, rather than competing against them.

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
$566K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple24.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$637K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple27.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$652K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple28.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Systems 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
Database architects
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$135,980/yr
Very High
3
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
4
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
5
Industrial engineers
+11.0% 10-yr growth · 25,200 openings/yr
$101,140/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Systems Engineering

How Kennesaw State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Virginia-Main Campus
VA · Public
74
DW Score
$91K
1-yr earn
14.6x
ROI
Top score
University of Florida
FL · Public
77
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
41.3x
ROI
George Mason University
VA · Public
76
DW Score
$85K
1-yr earn
20.9x
ROI
Washington University in St Louis
MO · Private nonprofit
50
DW Score
$84K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL · Public
59
DW Score
$82K
1-yr earn
11.8x
ROI
Also at Kennesaw State University

Other top programs at Kennesaw State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Kennesaw State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Systems Engineering at Kennesaw State University

How does Kennesaw State University's Systems Engineering program score?

A score of 61/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Kennesaw State University trails the majority of Systems Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Systems Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Systems 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 are Systems Engineering earnings lower at Kennesaw State University?

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