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Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #242 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat Valparaiso University

Graduates earn $73,662/yr in their first year — about 5.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $777K; scenarios range from $664K to $810K depending on AI disruption.

Valparaiso, IN Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
59 SOLID
61
Optimistic
56
Pessimistic
Earnings
$73,662
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.7x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$777K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Valparaiso University

At $73,662/yr, Electrical Engineering graduates from Valparaiso University land near the $77,516 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

An earnings multiple of 4.2x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

Some AI exposure exists in Electrical Engineering's typical career paths, with 56% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 18% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $27,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

Ranked #242 of 262 Electrical Engineering programs, Valparaiso University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $87,180 are relatively flat compared to the $73,662 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

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
$664K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple3.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$777K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple4.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$810K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple4.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at Valparaiso University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Valparaiso University, 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 Valparaiso University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Electrical Engineering at Valparaiso University?

This program scores 59/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Electrical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Electrical Engineering careers?

With 56% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $663,849 in decade earnings vs $809,834 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Is Valparaiso University a hidden gem for Electrical Engineering?

After financial aid, the average student pays $86,332 over four years — 54% below the $186,352 sticker price. That gap makes the ROI significantly better than published tuition suggests.