Mechanical Engineeringat University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Graduates earn $61,611/yr in their first year — about 13.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $969K; scenarios range from $809K to $1,027K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of New Mexico
First-year earnings of $61,611 track close to the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
With a 29.9x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 21% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Mechanical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
At $17,764 in median debt against $61,611 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
University of New Mexico-Main Campus ranks #46 among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.
The $61,611-to-$102,379 earnings arc over five years reflects a 66% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.
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 New Mexico'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 New Mexico stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of New Mexico
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of New Mexico, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of New Mexico
What does a 74/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Mechanical Engineering at University of New Mexico-Main Campus?
At 74/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
Should I worry about AI if I study Mechanical Engineering at University of New Mexico-Main Campus?
The 53% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.
Is University of New Mexico-Main Campus one of the best schools for Mechanical Engineering?
Among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, University of New Mexico-Main Campus's #46 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.