Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $69,454 track close to the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
With a 15.1x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
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.
At $19,500 in median debt against $69,454 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
A #145 ranking among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs places Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
A 27% earnings increase from $69,454 to $88,465 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.