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Engineering · Mechanical Engineering Rank #180 of 320

Mechanical Engineeringat University of Wyoming

Graduates earn $57,153/yr in their first year — about 19.0% below the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $741K; scenarios range from $647K to $771K depending on AI disruption.

Laramie, WY Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
70 STRONG
72
Optimistic
68
Pessimistic
Earnings
$57,153
1-year post-graduation
ROI
27.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$741K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
57% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Wyoming

At $57,153 per year, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of Wyoming earn below the $70,527 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

The 26.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 53% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $22,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

At #180 out of 320 programs, University of Wyoming's financial outcomes for Mechanical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $57,153 to $78,879 shows 38% 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
$647K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple23.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$741K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple26.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$771K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple27.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Wyoming'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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming

Other top programs at University of Wyoming

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at University of Wyoming

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

A score of 70/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Wyoming 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.

Why are Mechanical Engineering earnings lower at University of Wyoming?

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