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Metallurgical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD · Public · Bachelor's Degree
58 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
59
Optimistic
58
Base Case
56
Pessimistic
Earnings $71,985/yr (1% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Medium (20,100 openings/yr)
ROI 17.2x earnings multiple (12.1x out-of-state)
Ranked #4 of 4 Metallurgical Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $736K $718K $635K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.7x 17.2x 15.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.4x 12.1x 10.7x
Probability of Field Employment 73% 68% 50%
DegreeOutlook Score 59 58 56

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$41,600
Out-of-state: $59,200 (12.1x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$81,520
-96% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$27,500
4.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's Metallurgical Engineering program produces graduates earning $71,985/yr — within striking distance of the $71,268 national average for this field.

The 17.2x 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 — 47% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $27,500 in median debt clears quickly against $71,985 in annual earnings.

With only 4 programs offering Metallurgical Engineering nationally, this is a niche field. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranks #4 among them.

About South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

A 85% acceptance rate means South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is accessible to most applicants, a compact campus enrolling 2,042 students in Rapid City, SD.

See all programs and financial aid at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Materials engineers $108,310/yr
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr
View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 4 schools offering Metallurgical Engineering →

Metallurgical Engineering at Other Schools

Missouri University of Science and Technology ($80,627) Colorado School of Mines ($78,984) The University of Texas at El Paso ($53,478)

Other Majors at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Mining and Mineral Engineering ($90,514) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($78,193) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($73,551) Chemical Engineering ($72,785) Computer Engineering ($72,639) Industrial Engineering ($70,216) Mechanical Engineering ($69,667) Civil Engineering ($68,755)

Frequently Asked Questions

How does South Dakota School of Mines and Technology's Metallurgical Engineering program score?
A score of 58/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but South Dakota School of Mines and Technology trails the majority of Metallurgical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Metallurgical Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Metallurgical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →