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Electrical Engineering at University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $81,508/yr (5% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)

Job Market Large (54,500 openings/yr)

ROI 12.9x earnings multiple (5.9x out-of-state)

Ranked #149 of 262 Electrical programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$887K	$846K	$711K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	13.5x	12.9x	10.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.2x	5.9x	5.0x
Probability of Field Employment	78%	70%	48%
DegreeOutlook Score	73	72	68

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$65,632

Out-of-state: $143,216 (5.9x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$79,596

-21% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,500

3.2 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$96,673

19% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

University of Rhode Island's Electrical Engineering graduates start at $81,508/yr — above the $77,516 national average, though not by a wide margin.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.9x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Electrical Engineering programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Electrical Engineering's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 20% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $21,500 in median debt clears quickly against $81,508 in annual earnings.

Ranked #149 of 262 Electrical Engineering programs, University of Rhode Island falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $96,673 are relatively flat compared to the $81,508 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About University of Rhode Island

A 77% acceptance rate means University of Rhode Island is accessible to most applicants, enrolling 13,822 students in Kingston, RI.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Rhode Island →

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

Electrical Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of Rhode Island

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Electrical Engineering at University of Rhode Island?

This program scores 72/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Electrical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Electrical Engineering careers?

With 56% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $711,057 in decade earnings vs $886,813 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →