Mechanical Engineeringat The University of Texas at Austin
Graduates earn $82,227/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $914K; scenarios range from $769K to $965K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UT Austin
At $82,227 per year, Mechanical Engineering graduates from The University of Texas at Austin earn slightly above the $70,527 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 19.6x 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 20% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $18,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #11 of 320 nationally, this is a top-5% Mechanical Engineering program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $82,227 to $104,021 over five years — a 27% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UT Austin's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Mechanical Engineering
How UT Austin stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UT Austin
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UT Austin, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at UT Austin
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin?
This program scores 76/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Mechanical Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
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 $769,135 in decade earnings vs $964,695 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes The University of Texas at Austin's Mechanical Engineering program stand out?
Ranked #11 of 320 programs nationally, The University of Texas at Austin lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.