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Computer Engineering at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Fargo, ND · Public · Bachelor's Degree
71 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
72
Optimistic
71
Base Case
64
Pessimistic
Earnings $76,558/yr (-3% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (71% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (167,700 openings/yr)
ROI 17.9x earnings multiple (12.5x out-of-state)
Ranked #131 of 174 Computer Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Computer Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $815K $779K $631K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.8x 17.9x 14.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 13.1x 12.5x 10.2x
Probability of Field Employment 84% 74% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 72 71 64

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$43,428
Out-of-state: $62,044 (12.5x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$65,336
-50% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$21,500
3.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (4 Year)
$107,333
40% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

North Dakota State University-Main Campus's Computer Engineering program produces graduates earning $76,558/yr — within striking distance of the $78,694 national average for this field.

The 17.9x 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 — 71% task exposure — and the 23% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $21,500 in median debt clears quickly against $76,558 in annual earnings.

At #131 out of 174 programs, North Dakota State University-Main Campus's financial outcomes for Computer Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About North Dakota State University-Main Campus

A 96% acceptance rate means North Dakota State University-Main Campus is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 9,567 in Fargo, ND.

See all programs and financial aid at North Dakota State University-Main Campus →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Database architects $135,980/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 174 schools offering Computer Engineering →

Computer Engineering at Other Schools

University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($141,588) University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($141,588) University of Virginia-Main Campus ($118,232) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($111,560) Duke University ($111,145) Santa Clara University ($103,804) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ($103,123) Columbia University in the City of New York ($102,083)

Other Majors at North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($75,212) Construction Engineering Technologies ($74,199) Civil Engineering ($72,729) Mechanical Engineering ($72,158) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($70,821) Industrial Engineering ($68,873) Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions ($67,303) Management Information Systems and Services ($64,181)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does North Dakota State University-Main Campus's Computer Engineering program score?
A score of 71/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but North Dakota State University-Main Campus trails the majority of Computer Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Computer Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Computer Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 71% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →