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Electrical at University of Missouri-Columbia

Columbia, MO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
73 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
75
Optimistic
73
Base Case
69
Pessimistic
Earnings $85,400/yr (10% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Large (54,500 openings/yr)
ROI 14.7x earnings multiple (6.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #118 of 262 Electrical programs Top 50%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Electrical graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $871K $831K $701K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.4x 14.7x 12.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.3x 6.1x 5.1x
Probability of Field Employment 78% 70% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 75 73 69

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$56,520
Out-of-state: $137,352 (6.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$79,556
-41% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$22,500
3.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$95,739
12% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $85,400/yr, edging above the $77,516 national average for Electrical — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

The 14.7x 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 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $22,500 in median debt against $85,400 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #118 out of 262 programs, University of Missouri-Columbia's Electrical offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth is modest: $85,400 to $95,739 over five years (12% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.

About University of Missouri-Columbia

University of Missouri-Columbia has a 77% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, with 23,118 students enrolled in Columbia, MO.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Missouri-Columbia →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 262 schools offering Electrical →

Electrical at Other Schools

Carnegie Mellon University ($139,337) University of California-Berkeley ($137,295) Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($117,345) Cornell University ($100,516) The University of Texas at Austin ($96,997) Rice University ($96,751) National University ($93,417) Northeastern University ($92,222)

Other Majors at University of Missouri-Columbia

Computer Engineering ($83,243) Industrial Engineering ($79,894) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($72,886) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($72,300) Mechanical Engineering ($71,800) Engineering, General ($70,366) Chemical Engineering ($69,950) Civil Engineering ($69,566)

Is a Trade Program a Better Fit?

Compare Electrical trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

For students who prefer applied learning, trade programs can deliver strong earnings with significantly less debt and shorter time to employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Missouri-Columbia's Electrical program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Missouri-Columbia's Electrical graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Electrical to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Electrical 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →