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Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Dallas

Richardson, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $61,113/yr (-13% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (53% exposed)

Job Market Large (58,100 openings/yr)

ROI 13.8x earnings multiple (5.0x out-of-state)

Ranked #196 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	$841K	$804K	$691K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	14.4x	13.8x	11.9x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.2x	5.0x	4.3x
Probability of Field Employment	80%	71%	50%
DegreeOutlook Score	69	68	65

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$58,256

Out-of-state: $160,256 (5.0x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$69,740

-20% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,689

4.1 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$86,469

41% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $61,113/yr, Mechanical Engineering graduates from The University of Texas at Dallas land near the $70,527 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 13.8x 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 — 53% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $20,689 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #196 out of 320 programs, The University of Texas at Dallas's financial outcomes for Mechanical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $61,113 to $86,469 shows 41% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About The University of Texas at Dallas

The University of Texas at Dallas accepts 65% of applicants, balancing access with selectivity, serving a student body of 21,317 in Richardson, TX.

See all programs and financial aid at The University of Texas at Dallas →

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 University of Texas at Dallas

Frequently Asked Questions

How does The University of Texas at Dallas's Mechanical Engineering program score?

A score of 68/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The University of Texas at Dallas 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 →