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Computer Engineering at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Seattle, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $141,588/yr (80% vs median)

AI Risk Very High (71% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (167,700 openings/yr)

ROI 39.2x earnings multiple (11.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #1 of 174 Computer Engineering programs Top 1%

How AI Changes the Outlook

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

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$2,169K	$1,982K	$1,322K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	42.9x	39.2x	26.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	12.9x	11.8x	7.9x
Probability of Field Employment	84%	74%	43%
DegreeOutlook Score	89	88	83

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$50,572

Out-of-state: $167,988 (11.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$53,940

-7% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$15,422

1.3 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$223,690

58% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $141,588 put University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Computer Engineering program 80% above the national median of $78,694 — one of the higher-earning programs in this field.

The 39.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI exposure is significant at 71% of job tasks, producing a 39% spread between best and worst-case decade earnings. The field isn't immune to disruption.

With first-year pay of $141,588 far exceeding the $15,422 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #1 ranking out of 174 programs puts University of Washington-Seattle Campus in the top 1% for Computer Engineering. By our composite measure, very few programs deliver stronger results.

Earnings growth from $141,588 to $223,690 over five years (58% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Washington-Seattle Campus

A 43% admission rate makes University of Washington-Seattle Campus accessible to a wide range of qualified students, one of the larger campuses at 31,588 students in Seattle, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Washington-Seattle Campus →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

Computer hardware engineers $155,020/yr

Database architects $135,980/yr

View all 7 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Computer Engineering at Other Schools

Compare Computer Engineering

Other Majors at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

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

How does University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Computer Engineering program score?

A score of 88/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Washington-Seattle Campus's Computer Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Computer Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Computer Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 71% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does University of Washington-Seattle Campus rank so high for Computer Engineering?

The #1 ranking out of 174 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

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