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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #258 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat University of Vermont

Graduates earn $61,803/yr in their first year — about 20.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $644K; scenarios range from $573K to $662K depending on AI disruption.

Burlington, VT Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
51 AVERAGE
52
Optimistic
48
Pessimistic
Earnings
$61,803
1-year post-graduation
ROI
7.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$644K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Vermont

The data for UVM's Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering program highlights unique challenges, particularly concerning post-graduation earnings and future job security. A significant factor is Vermont’s smaller, specialized tech ecosystem. Unlike major metropolitan hubs, the state has fewer large-scale R&D facilities or big tech companies that typically drive higher starting salaries for ECE graduates. Many local roles may lean towards general engineering support rather than cutting-edge hardware design or highly specialized systems.

The "Very High" AI risk assessment isn't about jobs disappearing overnight, but rather the increasing automation of routine design, testing, and even some analytical tasks within ECE. This means a greater demand for engineers who can innovate, manage complex projects, or work at the interface of hardware and advanced software/AI. To thrive, you’ll need to actively seek out internships in major tech markets, build a portfolio showcasing specialized skills beyond core coursework, and consider dual majors or minors that broaden your expertise into less automatable areas like advanced software development, robotics, or project management. Your career trajectory may strongly depend on your willingness to explore opportunities beyond Vermont.

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
$573K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score48/100
Earnings Multiple7.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$644K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score51/100
Earnings Multiple8.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$662K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score52/100
Earnings Multiple8.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Electrical 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
Computer hardware engineers
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 4,700 openings/yr
$155,020/yr
Very High
3
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
4
Electronics engineers, except computer
+6.2% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$127,590/yr
High
5
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
6
Electrical engineers
+7.2% 10-yr growth · 11,700 openings/yr
$111,910/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 Electrical Engineering

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

Highest earnings
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$139K
1-yr earn
6.2x
ROI
Top score
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
79
DW Score
$137K
1-yr earn
39.5x
ROI
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA · Private nonprofit
68
DW Score
$117K
1-yr earn
6.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
77
DW Score
$97K
1-yr earn
25.4x
ROI
Also at University of Vermont

Other top programs at University of Vermont

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

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at University of Vermont

How does University of Vermont's Electrical Engineering program score?

A score of 51/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Vermont trails the majority of Electrical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Electrical Engineering earnings lower at University of Vermont?

Lower starting pay at University of Vermont may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.