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Engineering · Polymer Engineering Rank #4 of 4

Polymer Engineeringat Pennsylvania College of Technology

Graduates earn $71,651/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Polymer Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $713K; scenarios range from $633K to $734K depending on AI disruption.

Williamsport, PA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
52 AVERAGE
53
Optimistic
50
Pessimistic
Earnings
$71,651
1-year post-graduation
ROI
9.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$713K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
53% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Pennsylvania College of Technology

This Polymer/Plastics Engineering program at Penn College offers a specialized entry into a critical industry, particularly relevant given its Williamsport location within a region with manufacturing strengths. You're entering a niche field where programs like this often foster strong industry partnerships, leading to excellent internship opportunities and direct recruiting pipelines with employers in materials science, product development, and manufacturing. Your practical, hands-on skills developed here will be highly valued for designing and optimizing polymer processes and products.

While the data highlights a high AI risk, this often points to automation impacting repetitive design or quality control tasks. Your long-term success will hinge on developing strong problem-solving, innovation, and project management abilities, skills less susceptible to full automation. Focus on internships to gain real-world experience and understand how your role evolves alongside new technologies.

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
$633K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple8.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$713K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple9.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$734K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score53/100
Earnings Multiple10.2x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Pennsylvania College of Technology's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Polymer 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
Chemical engineers
+2.6% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$121,860/yr
Moderate
3
Materials engineers
+5.7% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$108,310/yr
Moderate
4
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 Polymer Engineering

How Pennsylvania College of Technology stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
MA · Public
68
DW Score
$77K
1-yr earn
13.6x
ROI
University of Wisconsin-Stout
WI · Public
59
DW Score
$76K
1-yr earn
17.7x
ROI
Western Washington University
WA · Public
55
DW Score
$60K
1-yr earn
15.3x
ROI
Also at Pennsylvania College of Technology

Other top programs at Pennsylvania College of Technology

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Pennsylvania College of Technology, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Polymer Engineering at Pennsylvania College of Technology

What does a 52/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Polymer Engineering at Pennsylvania College of Technology?

At 52/100, the score looks reasonable — but Polymer Engineering is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Polymer Engineering at Pennsylvania College of Technology?

The 47% 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.