Mechanical Engineeringat University of Denver
Graduates earn $65,014/yr in their first year — about 8.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $849K; scenarios range from $724K to $893K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Denver
Graduates earn $65,014/yr, roughly in line with the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
An earnings multiple of 3.6x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
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.
With first-year pay of $65,014 far exceeding the $26,248 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #295 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, University of Denver falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $65,014 to $92,358 over five years — a 42% 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 University of Denver'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 Denver stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Denver
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Denver, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of Denver
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at University of Denver?
This program scores 57/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Mechanical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
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 $723,554 in decade earnings vs $892,691 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.