Manufacturing Engineeringat Oregon State University
Graduates earn $72,154/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $805K; scenarios range from $703K to $838K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Oregon State University
Oregon State's Manufacturing Engineering program stands out nationally due to its rarity and specific regional relevance. You'll enter a field vital to transforming raw materials into finished products, optimizing efficiency across complex supply chains. The program's location in the Pacific Northwest means strong ties to advanced manufacturing, particularly in semiconductor fabrication, aerospace components, and automotive, with companies like Intel, HP, and Daimler Trucks North America actively recruiting. This hands-on discipline emphasizes process optimization and automation.
While the field leverages technology, the high AI risk reflects the ongoing evolution of engineering roles. Many analytical and repetitive optimization tasks are increasingly augmented or even automated by AI. To thrive, focus on developing interdisciplinary skills, especially in human-machine interface design, strategic system integration, and leadership, which are less susceptible to automation and crucial for managing future manufacturing processes.
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 Oregon State University'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 Manufacturing Engineering
How Oregon State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Oregon State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Oregon State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Manufacturing Engineering at Oregon State University?
This program scores 72/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Manufacturing Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Manufacturing Engineering careers?
With 47% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $702,511 in decade earnings vs $837,877 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes Oregon State University's Manufacturing Engineering program stand out?
Ranked #3 of 14 programs nationally, Oregon State University lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.