Program Analysis
At $74,043/yr, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of Houston land near the $70,527 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 22.2x 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 19% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $18,750 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
Ranked #25 of 320 programs, University of Houston's Mechanical Engineering program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Earnings grow from $74,043 to $96,269 over five years — a 30% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.