Engineering-Related Fieldsat University of Southern California
Graduates earn $73,234/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Engineering-Related Fields average. Base-case 10-year earnings $671K; scenarios range from $608K to $685K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Southern California
USC's elite Viterbi School of Engineering consistently places graduates into highly competitive roles, a testament to the program's rigorous academics and robust industry connections. Your strong outcomes are significantly shaped by the university's prime Los Angeles location, a vibrant hub for aerospace, entertainment technology, and a burgeoning tech startup scene. This ecosystem creates intense demand for skilled engineers, fostering a dynamic job market where you'll find opportunities with major players like Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, and a myriad of innovative smaller firms. The intensive project-based learning and research opportunities common in these programs prepare you for the complex, evolving challenges of modern engineering. While the field faces high AI risk, this often translates into a demand for engineers who can lead innovation with AI. Your key takeaway: aggressively pursue the extensive internship opportunities available to specialize your skills and build your professional network from day one.
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 Southern California'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 Engineering-Related Fields
How University of Southern California stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Southern California
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Southern California, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Engineering-Related Fields offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Engineering-Related Fields trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Engineering-Related Fields at University of Southern California
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Engineering-Related Fields at University of Southern California?
A score of 48/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Engineering-Related Fields. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Engineering-Related Fields careers?
With 38% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $607,923 in decade earnings vs $684,834 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is University of Southern California a hidden gem for Engineering-Related Fields?
After financial aid, the average student pays $127,708 over four years — 53% below the $272,948 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.