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Engineering · Mechanical Engineering Rank #303 of 320

Mechanical Engineeringat Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

Graduates earn $74,472/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Mechanical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $749K; scenarios range from $652K to $780K depending on AI disruption.

Flushing, NY Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
53 AVERAGE
55
Optimistic
50
Pessimistic
Earnings
$74,472
1-year post-graduation
ROI
5.5x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$749K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
57% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

First-year earnings of $74,472 at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology come in 6% above the national median of $70,527 for Mechanical Engineering programs.

A 6.5x earnings multiple over ten years puts this program in solid financial territory. Tuition is well-justified by projected earnings.

The 16% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Mechanical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $74,472 far exceeding the $25,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #303 ranking among 320 Mechanical Engineering programs places Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

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
$652K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score50/100
Earnings Multiple5.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$749K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score53/100
Earnings Multiple6.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$780K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple6.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology'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 Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology 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
Same state (NY)
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 Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

Other top programs at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Mechanical Engineering at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

What does a 53/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Mechanical Engineering at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology?

At 53/100, the score looks reasonable — but Mechanical Engineering is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Mechanical Engineering at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology?

The 53% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.