Program Analysis
At $74,366 per year, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of Virginia-Main Campus earn slightly above the $70,527 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
At 9.7x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 53% task exposure — and the 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $19,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #201 out of 320 programs, University of Virginia-Main Campus's financial outcomes for Mechanical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $74,366 to $91,262 shows 23% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.