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Electrical Engineering at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
75 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
76
Optimistic
75
Base Case
71
Pessimistic
Earnings $78,038/yr (1% vs median)
AI Risk Very High (56% exposed)
Job Market Large (54,500 openings/yr)
ROI 18.6x earnings multiple (7.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #43 of 262 Electrical programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Electrical Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $1,013K $959K $788K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.6x 18.6x 15.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.5x 7.1x 5.8x
Probability of Field Employment 78% 70% 48%
DegreeOutlook Score 76 75 71

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$51,584
Out-of-state: $135,004 (7.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$81,328
-58% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,176
3.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$107,989
38% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $78,038 track close to the $77,516 national median for Electrical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 18.6x 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 — 56% task exposure — and the 22% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $25,176 in median debt against $78,038 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #43 out of 262 programs, Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Electrical Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $78,038 to $107,989 shows 38% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Colorado State University-Fort Collins has a 90% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, serving a student body of 25,148 in Fort Collins, CO.

See all programs and financial aid at Colorado State University-Fort Collins →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr
Aerospace engineers $134,830/yr
View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 262 schools offering Electrical Engineering →

Electrical Engineering at Other Schools

Carnegie Mellon University ($139,337) University of California-Berkeley ($137,295) Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($117,345) Cornell University ($100,516) The University of Texas at Austin ($96,997) Rice University ($96,751) National University ($93,417) Northeastern University ($92,222)

Other Majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Computer and Information Sciences, General ($78,856) Construction Engineering Technologies ($78,423) Civil Engineering ($73,326) Information Science/Studies ($67,827) Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering ($66,109) Chemical Engineering ($62,468) Mechanical Engineering ($60,720) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($54,846)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Electrical Engineering program score?
A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Colorado State University-Fort Collins's Electrical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does Colorado State University-Fort Collins rank so high for Electrical Engineering?
The #43 ranking out of 262 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →