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Engineering · Mechanical Engineering Rank #179 of 320

Mechanical Engineeringat Texas A & M University-Kingsville

Graduates earn $56,135/yr in their first year — about 20.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $857K; scenarios range from $729K to $902K depending on AI disruption.

Kingsville, TX Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
70 STRONG
72
Optimistic
69
Pessimistic
Earnings
$56,135
1-year post-graduation
ROI
21.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$857K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
57% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Texas A & M University-Kingsville

Starting salaries of $56,135/yr fall 20% below the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 21.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Mechanical Engineering programs nationally.

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 19% gap from the optimistic case.

At $21,678 in median debt against $56,135 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #179 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, Texas A & M University-Kingsville falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $89,788 show a 60% jump from the $56,135 starting point — strong upward trajectory suggesting real career acceleration.

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
$729K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score69/100
Earnings Multiple18.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$857K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple21.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$902K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple22.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Texas A & M University-Kingsville's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Mechanical 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
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Mechanical engineers
+9.1% 10-yr growth · 18,100 openings/yr
$102,320/yr
High
5
Cost estimators
-4.2% 10-yr growth · 16,900 openings/yr
$77,070/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 Mechanical Engineering

How Texas A & M University-Kingsville stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
California State University Maritime Academy
CA · Public
79
DW Score
$92K
1-yr earn
36.4x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
3.8x
ROI
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
76
DW Score
$88K
1-yr earn
17.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
64
DW Score
$85K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
Princeton University
NJ · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$85K
1-yr earn
2.6x
ROI
Also at Texas A & M University-Kingsville

Other top programs at Texas A & M University-Kingsville

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Texas A & M University-Kingsville, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at Texas A & M University-Kingsville

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at Texas A & M University-Kingsville?

This program scores 70/100 — 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 $729,231 in decade earnings vs $901,659 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Mechanical Engineering from Texas A & M University-Kingsville?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.