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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #117 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat Michigan State University

Graduates earn $83,874/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $894K; scenarios range from $744K to $941K depending on AI disruption.

East Lansing, MI Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
75
Optimistic
69
Pessimistic
Earnings
$83,874
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.1x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$894K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Michigan State University

At $83,874 per year, Electrical Engineering graduates from Michigan State University earn slightly above the $77,516 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

The 14.0x 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 21% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $22,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #117 out of 262 programs, Michigan State University's Electrical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $83,874 to $102,673 shows 22% 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
$744K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple11.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$894K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple14.0x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$941K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple14.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Michigan State University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Michigan State University, 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 Michigan State University

How does Michigan State University's Electrical Engineering program score?

A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Michigan State University'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.