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Design Engineering Technologies at University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, MO · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $60,774/yr (7% vs median)

AI Risk High (40% exposed)

Job Market Medium (16,300 openings/yr)

ROI 15.6x earnings multiple (8.4x out-of-state)

Ranked #2 of 9 Design Engineering Technologies programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$619K	$607K	$556K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	15.9x	15.6x	14.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	8.6x	8.4x	7.7x
Probability of Field Employment	49%	45%	36%
DegreeOutlook Score	61	60	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)

$38,956

Out-of-state: $72,256 (8.4x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$61,344

-57% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,972

4.1 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$72,672

20% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $60,774 at University of Central Missouri come in 7% above the national median of $56,836 for Design Engineering Technologies programs.

Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 15.6x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Design Engineering Technologies programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Design Engineering Technologies's typical career paths, with 40% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 10% gap from the optimistic case.

With first-year pay of $60,774 far exceeding the $20,972 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

This program is one of 9 schools offering Design Engineering Technologies in our dataset — a specialized field with limited comparison points.

Five-year earnings of $72,672 are relatively flat compared to the $60,774 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

About University of Central Missouri

A 69% admission rate makes University of Central Missouri accessible to a wide range of qualified students, enrolling 5,653 students in Warrensburg, MO.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Central Missouri →

Top Career Paths

Electrical and electronics drafters $73,720/yr

Mechanical drafters $68,510/yr

Architectural and civil drafters $64,280/yr

View all 4 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Design Engineering Technologies at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of Central Missouri

Consider the Trade Route?

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Design Engineering Technologies at University of Central Missouri?

A score of 60/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Design Engineering Technologies field.

Will AI replace Design Engineering Technologies careers?

With 40% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $555,537 in decade earnings vs $618,993 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes University of Central Missouri's Design Engineering Technologies program stand out?

Ranked #2 of 9 programs nationally, University of Central Missouri lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →