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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #124 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Graduates earn $75,212/yr in their first year — about 3.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $817K; scenarios range from $692K to $855K depending on AI disruption.

Fargo, ND Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
75
Optimistic
70
Pessimistic
Earnings
$75,212
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$817K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at North Dakota State

First-year earnings of $75,212 track close to the $77,516 national median for Electrical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 18.8x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 19% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Electrical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

At $21,050 in median debt against $75,212 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

A #124 ranking among 262 Electrical Engineering programs places North Dakota State University-Main Campus in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 22% earnings increase from $75,212 to $92,081 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$692K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple15.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$817K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple18.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$855K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple19.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at North Dakota State

Other highest-scoring programs offered at North Dakota State, 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 North Dakota State

What does a 73/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Electrical Engineering at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?

At 73/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Electrical Engineering at North Dakota State University-Main Campus?

The 56% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.