Home Schools NC State Engineering
Engineering · Engineering Rank #20 of 47

Engineeringat North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Graduates earn $71,769/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $699K; scenarios range from $623K to $719K depending on AI disruption.

Raleigh, NC Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
58 SOLID
59
Optimistic
56
Pessimistic
Earnings
$71,769
1-year post-graduation
ROI
19.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$699K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
51% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at NC State

North Carolina State University at Raleigh's Engineering program produces graduates earning $71,769/yr — within striking distance of the $69,222 national average for this field.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 19.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Engineering programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Engineering's typical career paths, with 46% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 13% gap from the optimistic case.

At #20 of 47 Engineering programs, North Carolina State University at Raleigh scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

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
$623K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple17.5x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$699K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple19.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$719K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple20.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at NC State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at NC State, 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 NC State

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Engineering at North Carolina State University at Raleigh?

A score of 58/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Engineering field.

Will AI replace Engineering careers?

With 46% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $623,297 in decade earnings vs $719,076 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.