Electrical at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Carbondale, IL · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
71 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
72
Optimistic
71
Base Case
67
Pessimistic
Earnings $68,670/yr (-11% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Large (54,500 openings/yr)
ROI 15.8x earnings multiple
Ranked #156 of 262 Electrical programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $877K $837K $705K
Earnings Multiple 16.5x 15.8x 13.3x
Probability of Field Employment 78% 70% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 72 71 67

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$52,976
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$64,708
-22% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,000
3.5 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$92,494
35% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Electrical program produces graduates earning $68,670/yr — within striking distance of the $77,516 national average for this field.

The 15.8x 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 — 56% task exposure — and the 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,000 in median debt clears quickly against $68,670 in annual earnings.

At #156 out of 262 programs, Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's financial outcomes for Electrical trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $68,670 to $92,494 shows 35% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

A 90% acceptance rate means Southern Illinois University-Carbondale is accessible to most applicants, with a mid-sized student body of 8,116 in Carbondale, IL.

See all programs and financial aid at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Electrical at Other Schools

Other Majors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Electrical program score?
A score of 71/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Southern Illinois University-Carbondale trails the majority of Electrical programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Electrical to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Electrical careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% 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 →