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Computer Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree
70 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
71
Optimistic
70
Base Case
64
Pessimistic
Earnings $72,639/yr (-8% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (71% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (167,700 openings/yr)
ROI 17.9x earnings multiple (12.6x out-of-state)
Ranked #143 of 174 Computer Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Computer Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $777K $745K $612K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 18.7x 17.9x 14.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 13.1x 12.6x 10.3x
Probability of Field Employment 84% 74% 43%
DegreeOutlook Score 71 70 64

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$41,600
Out-of-state: $59,200 (12.6x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$81,520
-96% less than sticker · See by income

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $72,639 track close to the $78,694 national median for Computer Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 17.9x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 71% task exposure — and the 21% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At #143 out of 174 programs, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's financial outcomes for Computer Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has a 85% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a compact campus enrolling 2,042 students in Rapid City, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Database architects $135,980/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 174 schools offering Computer Engineering →

Computer Engineering at Other Schools

University of Washington-Seattle Campus ($141,588) University of Washington-Bothell Campus ($141,588) University of Virginia-Main Campus ($118,232) California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo ($111,560) Duke University ($111,145) Santa Clara University ($103,804) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ($103,123) Columbia University in the City of New York ($102,083)

Other Majors at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Mining and Mineral Engineering ($90,514) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($78,193) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($73,551) Chemical Engineering ($72,785) Metallurgical Engineering ($71,985) Industrial Engineering ($70,216) Mechanical Engineering ($69,667) Civil Engineering ($68,755)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's Computer Engineering program score?
A score of 70/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but South Dakota School of Mines and Technology trails the majority of Computer Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Computer Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Computer Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 71% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →