Mechanical Engineeringat University of Delaware
Graduates earn $74,313/yr in their first year — about 5.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $817K; scenarios range from $701K to $857K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Delaware
At $74,313 per year, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of Delaware earn slightly above the $70,527 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
With a 12.7x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 18% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Mechanical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
The median debt load of $26,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
A #160 ranking among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs places University of Delaware in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
A 23% earnings increase from $74,313 to $91,595 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.
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 University of Delaware'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 University of Delaware stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Delaware
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Delaware, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of Delaware
What does a 70/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Mechanical Engineering at University of Delaware?
At 70/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Mechanical Engineering at University of Delaware?
The 53% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.