Mechanical Engineeringat Rochester Institute of Technology
Graduates earn $76,263/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $812K; scenarios range from $697K to $851K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at RIT
At $76,263 per year, Mechanical Engineering graduates from Rochester Institute of Technology earn slightly above the $70,527 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 3.6x tuition cost in decade earnings, the ROI is moderate. This program pays for itself, but it's not a financial slam-dunk.
The 18% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Mechanical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
The median debt load of $27,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
A #254 ranking among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs places Rochester Institute of Technology in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
The limited growth from $76,263 to $91,471 over five years suggests earnings in this field plateau relatively early in one's career.
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 RIT'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 Mechanical Engineering
How RIT stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at RIT
Other highest-scoring programs offered at RIT, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at RIT
What does a 60/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Mechanical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology?
At 60/100, the score looks reasonable — but Mechanical 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 Mechanical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology?
The 53% 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.