Program Analysis
Graduates earn $73,079/yr, roughly in line with the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 17.7x 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 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $73,079 far exceeding the $23,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #98 out of 320 programs, Portland 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 $73,079 to $88,755 shows 21% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.