Program Analysis
Graduates earn $68,061/yr, roughly in line with the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 17.6x 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 17% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $68,061 far exceeding the $21,250 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #154 out of 320 programs, Youngstown State University's Mechanical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $68,061 to $83,601 shows 23% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.