Mechanical Engineeringat North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Graduates earn $69,078/yr in their first year — about 2.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $826K; scenarios range from $707K to $866K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at NC State
At $69,078/yr, Mechanical Engineering graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh land near the $70,527 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
The 23.2x 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 — 53% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $23,140 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #51 out of 320 programs, North Carolina State University at Raleigh's Mechanical Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $69,078 to $91,136 shows 32% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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.
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.
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.
Peer schools offering Mechanical Engineering
How NC State stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at NC State
Other highest-scoring programs offered at NC State, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at NC State
How does North Carolina State University at Raleigh's Mechanical Engineering program score?
A score of 74/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. North Carolina State University at Raleigh's Mechanical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Mechanical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Mechanical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 53% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does North Carolina State University at Raleigh rank so high for Mechanical Engineering?
The #51 ranking out of 320 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.