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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #70 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat Purdue University Northwest

Graduates earn $79,917/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $797K; scenarios range from $677K to $832K depending on AI disruption.

Hammond, IN Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
75 STRONG
77
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$79,917
1-year post-graduation
ROI
25.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$797K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Purdue University Northwest

Graduates earn $79,917/yr, roughly in line with the $77,516 national median for Electrical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 23.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Electrical Engineering programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Electrical Engineering's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 19% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $79,917 far exceeding the $25,147 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

At #70 of 262 Electrical Engineering programs, Purdue University Northwest scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.

Five-year earnings of $90,673 are relatively flat compared to the $79,917 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

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
$677K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple20.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$797K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple23.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$832K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score77/100
Earnings Multiple24.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Purdue University Northwest'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 Purdue University Northwest 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 Purdue University Northwest

Other top programs at Purdue University Northwest

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Purdue University Northwest, 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 Purdue University Northwest

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Electrical Engineering at Purdue University Northwest?

This program scores 75/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Electrical Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

Will AI replace Electrical Engineering careers?

With 56% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $677,351 in decade earnings vs $831,850 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.