Program Analysis
At $80,187 per year, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn slightly above the $70,527 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.3x 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.
The median debt load of $20,193 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #114 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Earnings grow from $80,187 to $96,770 over five years — a 21% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.