Mechanical Engineeringat University of the Pacific
Graduates earn $76,785/yr in their first year — about 9.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $942K; scenarios range from $790K to $997K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific's Mechanical Engineering graduates start at $76,785/yr — above the $70,527 national average, though not by a wide margin.
An earnings multiple of 4.3x 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 21% gap from the optimistic case.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $28,000 in median debt clears quickly against $76,785 in annual earnings.
Ranked #213 of 320 Mechanical Engineering programs, University of the Pacific falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $76,785 to $105,548 over five years — a 37% 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 the Pacific'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 the Pacific stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of the Pacific
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of the Pacific, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of the Pacific
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Mechanical Engineering at University of the Pacific?
This program scores 63/100 — 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 $789,572 in decade earnings vs $996,980 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Is University of the Pacific a hidden gem for Mechanical Engineering?
After financial aid, the average student pays $103,704 over four years — 53% below the $221,360 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.