Mechanical Engineeringat University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Graduates earn $80,187/yr in their first year — about 14.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $852K; scenarios range from $725K to $896K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UIUC
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.
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 UIUC'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 UIUC stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UIUC
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UIUC, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at UIUC
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign?
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 $725,462 in decade earnings vs $895,703 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.