Mechanical Engineeringat University of California-San Diego
Graduates earn $69,555/yr in their first year — about 1.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $906K; scenarios range from $764K to $956K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UC San Diego
At $69,555/yr, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of California-San Diego land near the $70,527 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 14.8x 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 20% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $20,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #144 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, University of California-San Diego scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $69,555 to $99,554 over five years — a 43% 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 UC San Diego'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 UC San Diego stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UC San Diego
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC San Diego, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at UC San Diego
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at University of California-San Diego?
This program scores 71/100 — 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 $763,837 in decade earnings vs $956,325 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.