Mechanical Engineering
Offered at 850 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 7 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 35 | — | $72,275 | — |
| Bachelor's | 401 | $75,796 | $96,217 | $22,345 |
| Master's | 235 | $98,102 | $122,076 | — |
| Doctoral | 153 | $107,798 | $155,567 | — |
| Professional | 1 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 18 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt Lake Community College | UT | — | $84,445 | — |
| 2 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College | NY | — | $80,937 | — |
| 3 | Tacoma Community College | WA | — | $77,387 | — |
| 4 | Stark State College | OH | — | $67,163 | — |
| 5 | El Paso Community College | TX | — | $58,637 | — |
| 6 | Lone Star College System | TX | — | $52,567 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pennsylvania | PA | — | $139,684 | — |
| 2 | Duke University | NC | $88,721 | $133,628 | $13,250 |
| 3 | Cal Poly Maritime Academy | CA | $98,324 | $131,566 | $23,250 |
| 4 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $94,095 | $130,762 | $15,000 |
| 5 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $85,959 | $128,823 | — |
| 6 | Santa Clara University | CA | $84,296 | $127,964 | $20,250 |
| 7 | San Jose State University | CA | — | $126,078 | $14,500 |
| 8 | Carnegie Mellon University | PA | $89,043 | $122,102 | $19,805 |
| 9 | Cornell University | NY | $93,525 | $121,528 | $14,750 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $95,340 | $121,029 | $11,175 |
| 11 | Stanford University | CA | — | $120,449 | — |
| 12 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $92,862 | $119,306 | $16,053 |
| 13 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $86,008 | $116,719 | $13,315 |
| 14 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $86,929 | $116,548 | $17,778 |
| 15 | SUNY Maritime College | NY | $84,213 | $116,521 | $19,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $170,342 | $210,227 | — |
| 2 | Stanford University | CA | $138,150 | $201,843 | — |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $130,635 | $167,056 | — |
| 4 | Columbia University in the City of New York | NY | $107,343 | $163,394 | — |
| 5 | University of Houston | TX | — | $160,569 | — |
| 6 | Santa Clara University | CA | — | $153,880 | — |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | $116,148 | $153,665 | — |
| 8 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | CA | $100,804 | $153,292 | — |
| 9 | Cornell University | NY | $112,830 | $144,078 | — |
| 10 | Johns Hopkins University | MD | $120,900 | $141,084 | — |
| 11 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $109,293 | $137,762 | — |
| 12 | University of Southern California | CA | $124,941 | $136,899 | — |
| 13 | Villanova University | PA | $98,992 | $136,879 | — |
| 14 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $112,592 | $135,858 | — |
| 15 | Northern Illinois University | IL | $105,074 | $135,490 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | — | $167,728 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | — | $155,567 | — |
| 3 | University of Florida | FL | — | $124,854 | — |
| 4 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $115,268 | — | — |
| 5 | Purdue University-Main Campus | IN | $107,798 | — | — |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $107,492 | — | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning professional programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $109,013 | $153,803 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do mechanical engineering graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in mechanical engineering reports median earnings of $75,796. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
