Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies at Purdue University Northwest
Hammond, IN · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
DegreeWorth Score (Base Case)
75
Optimistic
75
Base Case
73
Pessimistic
Earnings
$65,059/yr (5% vs median)
AI Risk
Moderate (28% exposed)
Job Market
Large (87,000 openings/yr)
How AI Changes the Outlook
Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies graduates.
| Optimistic No Disruption |
Base Case Gradual AI |
Pessimistic Aggressive AI |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Year Earnings | $727K | $638K | $552K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.6x | 19.0x | 16.4x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 11.6x | 10.2x | 8.8x |
| Viable Career Paths | 7 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 7 of 7 |
| DegreeWorth Score | 75 | 75 | 73 |
10-Year Earnings Projection
*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.
4-Year Tuition (In-State)
$33,676
Out-of-state: $62,480
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,750
3.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$71,650
10% growth from Year 1
Career Paths
Where Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies graduates typically work. Raw data — no blending. The scenarios above model how these factors interact. This field has roughly 87,000 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians | $79,830 | 900 | +8.1% | 32% |
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | $77,390 | 5,700 | +1.5% | 24% |
| Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians | $70,760 | 1,300 | +1.1% | 42% |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | $68,730 | 3,200 | 0.0% | 28% |
| Mechanical drafters | $68,510 | 3,300 | -6.5% | 50% |
| Motorboat mechanics and service technicians | $54,950 | 2,600 | +6.0% | 8% |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | $49,670 | 70,000 | +4.2% | 8% |
Compare & Explore
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DegreeWorth Score for Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies at Purdue University Northwest?
This program scores 75/100 in the Base Case scenario, factoring in earnings, AI disruption risk, job market size, and earnings multiple. The score ranges from 75 (optimistic) to 73 (pessimistic) depending on AI's impact.
How does AI affect Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies career prospects?
We model three scenarios: Optimistic (no disruption), Base Case (gradual AI adoption), and Pessimistic (aggressive AI displacement). In the base case, Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies graduates retain 7 of 7 viable career paths. 10-year earnings range from $551,586 (pessimistic) to $726,939 (optimistic).
How many job openings are there for Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies graduates?
The career paths mapped to Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies have roughly 87,000 combined job openings per year nationally, making this a large job market.
Is Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies at Purdue University Northwest worth it?
In the Base Case, this degree earns 19.0x its in-state tuition over 10 years. Even in the Pessimistic scenario, the multiple is 16.4x. The spread between scenarios tells you how sensitive this degree is to AI disruption.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections.
"Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI.
Last updated 2025.