Mechanical Engineeringat Saint Louis University
Graduates earn $74,209/yr in their first year — about 5.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $746K; scenarios range from $650K to $777K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Saint Louis University
First-year earnings of $74,209 at Saint Louis University come in 5% above the national median of $70,527 for Mechanical Engineering programs.
An earnings multiple of 3.5x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Mechanical Engineering's typical career paths, with 53% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 16% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $74,209 far exceeding the $25,029 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #314 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, Saint Louis University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
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 Saint Louis 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 Mechanical Engineering
How Saint Louis University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Saint Louis University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Saint Louis University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at Saint Louis University?
This program scores 50/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Mechanical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Mechanical Engineering careers?
With 53% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $650,480 in decade earnings vs $777,256 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.