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Engineering · Computer Engineering Rank #143 of 174

Computer Engineeringat South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Graduates earn $72,639/yr in their first year — about 8.0% below the national Computer Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $745K; scenarios range from $612K to $777K depending on AI disruption.

Rapid City, SD Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
70 STRONG
71
Optimistic
64
Pessimistic
Earnings
$72,639
1-year post-graduation
ROI
16.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$745K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
62% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

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.

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
$612K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple14.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$745K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple17.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$777K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple18.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Computer 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
Database architects
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$135,980/yr
Very High
4
Software developers
+15.8% 10-yr growth · 115,200 openings/yr
$133,080/yr
Very High
5
Computer network architects
+11.9% 10-yr growth · 11,200 openings/yr
$130,390/yr
High
6
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 Computer Engineering

How South Dakota School of Mines and Technology stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
WA · Public
88
DW Score
$142K
1-yr earn
43.2x
ROI
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
WA · Public
88
DW Score
$142K
1-yr earn
43.5x
ROI
University of Virginia-Main Campus
VA · Public
84
DW Score
$118K
1-yr earn
15.6x
ROI
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
87
DW Score
$112K
1-yr earn
32.0x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$111K
1-yr earn
5.6x
ROI
Also at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Other top programs at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Other highest-scoring programs offered at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Computer Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Computer Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

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.