Home Schools University of Tulsa Mechanical Engineering
Engineering · Mechanical Engineering Rank #257 of 320

Mechanical Engineeringat University of Tulsa

Graduates earn $70,220/yr in their first year — right at the national average. Base-case 10-year earnings $817K; scenarios range from $700K to $856K depending on AI disruption.

Tulsa, OK Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
60 SOLID
61
Optimistic
57
Pessimistic
Earnings
$70,220
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.7x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$817K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
57% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Tulsa

University of Tulsa's Mechanical Engineering program produces graduates earning $70,220/yr — within striking distance of the $70,527 national average for this field.

The 4.2x return on tuition is positive but not overwhelming. Financial outcomes depend on keeping costs close to in-state rates.

AI risk is moderate — 53% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $16,764 in median debt clears quickly against $70,220 in annual earnings.

At #257 out of 320 programs, University of Tulsa's financial outcomes for Mechanical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $70,220 to $90,509 shows 29% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$700K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple3.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$817K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score60/100
Earnings Multiple4.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$856K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple4.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Tulsa's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Mechanical Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Mechanical engineers
+9.1% 10-yr growth · 18,100 openings/yr
$102,320/yr
High
5
Cost estimators
-4.2% 10-yr growth · 16,900 openings/yr
$77,070/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Mechanical Engineering

How University of Tulsa stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
California State University Maritime Academy
CA · Public
79
DW Score
$92K
1-yr earn
36.4x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$90K
1-yr earn
3.8x
ROI
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
76
DW Score
$88K
1-yr earn
17.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
64
DW Score
$85K
1-yr earn
3.3x
ROI
Princeton University
NJ · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$85K
1-yr earn
2.6x
ROI
Also at University of Tulsa

Other top programs at University of Tulsa

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Tulsa, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of Tulsa

How does University of Tulsa's Mechanical Engineering program score?

A score of 60/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Tulsa trails the majority of Mechanical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Mechanical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Mechanical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 53% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

How affordable is Mechanical Engineering at University of Tulsa after financial aid?

Sticker price is $194,408, but the average net cost is $94,712 — a 51% discount. For students who qualify for aid, this program is considerably more affordable than it appears.