Mechanical Engineeringat University of Rochester
Graduates earn $73,828/yr in their first year — about 5.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $825K; scenarios range from $707K to $866K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Rochester
First-year earnings of $73,828 track close to the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
An earnings multiple of 3.2x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.
Some AI exposure exists in Mechanical Engineering's typical career paths, with 53% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 18% gap from the optimistic case.
At $21,000 in median debt against $73,828 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #286 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, University of Rochester falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $73,828 to $92,363 over five years — a 25% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career 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 Rochester'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 Rochester stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Rochester
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Rochester, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of Rochester
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at University of Rochester?
This program scores 58/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Mechanical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Mechanical Engineering careers?
With 53% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $706,561 in decade earnings vs $865,844 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is University of Rochester a hidden gem for Mechanical Engineering?
After financial aid, the average student pays $120,992 over four years — 53% below the $257,392 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.