Mechanical Engineeringat The University of Texas at El Paso
Graduates earn $62,393/yr in their first year — about 12.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $850K; scenarios range from $724K to $893K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UTEP
First-year earnings of $62,393 track close to the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 21.8x 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 $16,378 in median debt against $62,393 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #134 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, The University of Texas at El Paso scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $62,393 to $91,486 over five years — a 47% 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 UTEP'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 UTEP stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UTEP
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UTEP, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at UTEP
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso?
This program scores 72/100 — 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 $723,745 in decade earnings vs $892,989 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.