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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #79 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat University of Iowa

Graduates earn $70,686/yr in their first year — about 9.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,013K; scenarios range from $825K to $1,073K depending on AI disruption.

Iowa City, IA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
74 STRONG
76
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$70,686
1-year post-graduation
ROI
24.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$1,013K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Iowa

At $70,686/yr, Electrical Engineering graduates from University of Iowa land near the $77,516 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 23.1x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 56% task exposure — and the 23% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $24,250 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #79 out of 262 programs, University of Iowa's Electrical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $70,686 to $110,672 over five years (57% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$825K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple18.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$1,013K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple23.1x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$1,073K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple24.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Iowa's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Electrical Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Computer hardware engineers
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 4,700 openings/yr
$155,020/yr
Very High
3
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
4
Electronics engineers, except computer
+6.2% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$127,590/yr
High
5
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
6
Electrical engineers
+7.2% 10-yr growth · 11,700 openings/yr
$111,910/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Electrical Engineering

How University of Iowa stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$139K
1-yr earn
6.2x
ROI
Top score
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
79
DW Score
$137K
1-yr earn
39.5x
ROI
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA · Private nonprofit
68
DW Score
$117K
1-yr earn
6.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
77
DW Score
$97K
1-yr earn
25.4x
ROI
Also at University of Iowa

Other top programs at University of Iowa

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Iowa, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at University of Iowa

How does University of Iowa's Electrical Engineering program score?

A score of 74/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Iowa's Electrical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.