Mechanical Engineeringat University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Graduates earn $63,812/yr in their first year — about 10.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $836K; scenarios range from $714K to $878K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Mechanical Engineering program produces graduates earning $63,812/yr — within striking distance of the $70,527 national average for this field.
The 20.1x 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 — 53% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $22,175 in median debt clears quickly against $63,812 in annual earnings.
Ranked #118 out of 320 programs, University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Mechanical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $63,812 to $90,611 shows 42% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary 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 Louisiana at Lafayette'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 Louisiana at Lafayette stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Louisiana at Lafayette, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
How does University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Mechanical Engineering program score?
A score of 72/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Mechanical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Mechanical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Mechanical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 53% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.