Program Analysis
At $71,407/yr, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of Arkansas land near the $70,527 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 19.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Mechanical Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Mechanical Engineering's typical career paths, with 53% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 17% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $21,750 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #72 of 320 nationally, this is a top-5% Mechanical Engineering program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $84,481 are relatively flat compared to the $71,407 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.