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Mechanical Engineering at The College of New Jersey

Ewing, NJ · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $65,761/yr (-7% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (53% exposed)

Job Market Large (58,100 openings/yr)

ROI 10.3x earnings multiple (7.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #205 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$803K	$769K	$667K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.7x	10.3x	8.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	8.2x	7.8x	6.8x
Probability of Field Employment	80%	71%	50%
DegreeOutlook Score	66	65	63

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$74,740

Out-of-state: $98,272 (7.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$101,832

-36% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$22,875

4.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$84,253

28% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $65,761 track close to the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 10.3x 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 — 53% task exposure — and the 17% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $22,875 in median debt against $65,761 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

At #205 out of 320 programs, The College of New Jersey's financial outcomes for Mechanical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $65,761 to $84,253 shows 28% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About The College of New Jersey

With a 62% acceptance rate, The College of New Jersey is moderately selective, with a mid-sized student body of 6,831 in Ewing, NJ.

See all programs and financial aid at The College of New Jersey →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr

Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr

View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Mechanical Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at The College of New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

How does The College of New Jersey's Mechanical Engineering program score?

A score of 65/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The College of New Jersey trails the majority of Mechanical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Mechanical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Mechanical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 53% 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 →