Which state pays mechanical engineering bachelor's graduates the most?

Massachusetts, where the median program pays its graduates $77,828 in their first year, the highest of 22 state rankings. Michigan is next, at $76,300.

Which mechanical engineering bachelor's program pays the most?

Cal Poly Maritime Academy in California reports the highest first-year pay of the 302 programs ranked here, $92,315. Its median federal debt is $19,690.

How much debt do mechanical engineering bachelor's graduates have?

The median program leaves its graduates with $24,730 in federal debt. Across programs, the median debt is 35% of first-year pay.

Highest-Paying Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's) Programs in the US

302 programs report first-year pay
22 state rankings
Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

The median mechanical engineering bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $70,725 in their first year and $91,554 five years after. Massachusetts has the highest state median ($77,828), and Texas the lowest ($66,678). The median program leaves its graduates with $24,730 in federal debt.

Median first-year pay$70,725Across 302 programs

Median pay after 5 years$91,554Across 278 programs

Median federal debt$24,730Across 294 programs

Debt-to-earnings35%Across 292 programs

All 302 programs, ranked by graduate pay

Each program is ranked by the median pay of its graduates one year after they finished, from College Scorecard. This measures what graduates earn, not how good the teaching is. Pay also depends on where graduates live and work. Programs that don't report a figure are listed last when you sort by it.

#	School	Year 1 pay	After cost of living	Year 5 pay	Debt	Debt to pay
1	Cal Poly Maritime AcademyVallejo, CA · public	$92,315	$83,377	$114,735	$19,690	21%
2	Duke UniversityDurham, NC · private nonprofit	$89,938	Not adjusted	$125,085	$10,000	11%
3	UC BerkeleyBerkeley, CA · public	$88,497	$79,929	$112,325	$13,200	15%
4	Franklin W Olin College of EngineeringNeedham, MA · private nonprofit	$87,590	Not adjusted	$106,657	Not reported	Not reported
5	Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY · private nonprofit	$85,440	Not adjusted	$113,983	$15,500	18%
6	Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ · private nonprofit	$85,328	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
7	Notre DameNotre Dame, IN · private nonprofit	$84,999	Not adjusted	$95,893	$19,000	22%
8	MITCambridge, MA · private nonprofit	$83,957	Not adjusted	$106,765	$11,334	13%
9	USCLos Angeles, CA · private nonprofit	$83,356	$75,285	$107,591	$17,500	21%
10	Cal Poly SLOSan Luis Obispo, CA · public	$83,011	$74,974	$110,675	$20,500	25%
11	Rice UniversityHouston, TX · private nonprofit	$82,899	Not adjusted	$105,734	$15,375	19%
12	University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MI · public	$82,823	$86,079	$101,514	$21,750	26%
13	George Washington UniversityWashington, DC · private nonprofit	$82,361	Not adjusted	$94,843	$21,500	26%
14	UT AustinAustin, TX · public	$82,227	$84,720	$104,021	$18,750	23%
15	Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA · private nonprofit	$81,865	$73,939	$118,350	$19,500	24%
16	UC Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA · public	$81,108	$73,255	$100,669	$15,908	20%
17	Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA · private nonprofit	$80,962	Not adjusted	$113,966	$25,995	32%
18	PurdueWest Lafayette, IN · public	$80,374	Not adjusted	$97,551	$19,937	25%
19	Michigan StateEast Lansing, MI · public	$80,259	$83,415	$99,381	$24,000	30%
20	Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$80,255	$75,886	$104,723	$25,893	32%
21	UIUCChampaign, IL · public	$80,187	$80,221	$96,770	$20,500	26%
22	University of Alaska FairbanksFairbanks, AK · public	$79,438	$77,607	$94,625	$18,250	23%
23	Bucknell UniversityLewisburg, PA · private nonprofit	$79,391	Not adjusted	$99,777	$19,500	25%
24	Ohio StateColumbus, OH · public	$79,359	$85,540	$95,293	$20,500	26%
25	Kettering UniversityFlint, MI · private nonprofit	$79,307	$82,425	$102,774	$28,000	35%
26	SMUDallas, TX · private nonprofit	$79,280	$81,684	$95,148	$17,708	22%
27	UCLALos Angeles, CA · public	$79,016	$71,366	$108,947	$17,000	22%
28	Georgia TechAtlanta, GA · public	$78,862	$81,898	$98,607	$27,000	34%
29	Rose-Hulman Institute of TechnologyTerre Haute, IN · private nonprofit	$78,732	Not adjusted	$93,120	$25,612	33%
30	University of Detroit MercyDetroit, MI · private nonprofit	$78,552	$81,640	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
31	Tufts UniversityMedford, MA · private nonprofit	$78,441	Not adjusted	$95,235	$16,500	21%
32	Virginia TechBlacksburg, VA · public	$78,280	$77,425	$97,664	$23,000	29%
33	Oakland UniversityRochester Hills, MI · public	$78,213	$81,288	$101,107	$25,000	32%
34	WPIWorcester, MA · private nonprofit	$78,182	$73,926	$100,164	$27,000	35%
35	West Texas A&M UniversityCanyon, TX · public	$78,028	$80,394	$89,635	$21,125	27%
36	Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · private nonprofit	$78,009	Not adjusted	$101,152	$14,000	18%
37	University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA · private nonprofit	$77,962	$70,414	$97,127	$26,093	33%
38	Stevens Institute of TechnologyHoboken, NJ · private nonprofit	$77,925	$71,619	$101,241	$26,520	34%
39	SUNY Maritime CollegeThroggs Neck, NY · public	$77,895	$72,178	$114,377	$26,000	33%
40	Wentworth Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$77,828	$73,591	$97,305	$27,000	35%
41	Texas A&MCollege Station, TX · public	$77,785	$80,144	$97,743	$19,500	25%
42	Lawrence Technological UniversitySouthfield, MI · private nonprofit	$77,321	$80,361	$94,853	$27,000	35%
43	Lake Superior StateSault Ste Marie, MI · public	$77,229	$80,265	Not reported	$26,901	35%
44	University of ToledoToledo, OH · public	$77,011	$83,009	$89,223	$17,900	23%
45	University of PortlandPortland, OR · private nonprofit	$76,909	$74,408	$91,884	$23,681	31%
46	Saginaw Valley StateUniversity Center, MI · public	$76,823	$79,843	$89,093	$26,679	35%
47	University of the PacificStockton, CA · private nonprofit	$76,785	$69,351	$105,548	$28,596	37%
48	Case WesternCleveland, OH · private nonprofit	$76,736	Not adjusted	$92,158	$24,855	32%
49	Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PA · private nonprofit	$76,523	Not adjusted	$115,666	$22,777	30%
50	University of MarylandCollege Park, MD · public	$76,485	$72,871	$102,581	$20,500	27%
51	Catholic University of AmericaWashington, DC · private nonprofit	$76,409	Not adjusted	$92,376	$27,000	35%
52	Boston UniversityBoston, MA · private nonprofit	$76,337	Not adjusted	$94,926	$26,400	35%
53	RITRochester, NY · private nonprofit	$76,263	Not adjusted	$91,471	$27,000	35%
54	University of FloridaGainesville, FL · public	$76,228	$73,711	$94,291	$18,131	24%
55	Missouri S&TRolla, MO · public	$75,855	$83,525	$91,528	$22,786	30%
56	Grand Valley StateAllendale, MI · public	$75,777	$78,756	$85,738	$28,000	37%
57	Tuskegee UniversityTuskegee, AL · private nonprofit	$75,759	Not adjusted	$93,145	$30,500	40%
58	Oregon Institute of TechnologyKlamath Falls, OR · public	$75,750	$73,287	$102,683	$26,258	35%
59	Baylor UniversityWaco, TX · private nonprofit	$75,726	$78,022	$88,325	$27,000	36%
60	Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA · private nonprofit	$75,479	Not adjusted	$101,225	$24,950	33%
61	LSUBaton Rouge, LA · public	$75,311	$85,380	$104,396	$18,500	25%
62	Northwestern UniversityEvanston, IL · private nonprofit	$75,253	Not adjusted	$104,154	$15,334	20%
63	University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · public	$75,238	Not adjusted	$91,807	$24,755	33%
64	UC DavisDavis, CA · public	$75,231	$67,947	$99,885	$15,000	20%
65	University of ArizonaTucson, AZ · public	$75,211	$74,705	$95,672	$23,391	31%
66	Mississippi StateMississippi State, MS · public	$75,161	$86,439	$96,021	$22,500	30%
67	ASUTempe, AZ · public	$75,146	$74,641	$94,295	$20,500	27%
68	Cal Poly PomonaPomona, CA · public	$75,040	$67,775	$101,659	$17,455	23%
69	Southern UniversityBaton Rouge, LA · public	$75,001	$85,028	$88,564	$29,500	39%
70	UM-FlintFlint, MI · public	$74,974	$77,922	$83,494	$31,000	41%
71	Michigan TechHoughton, MI · public	$74,922	$77,868	$90,615	$27,000	36%
72	UConnStorrs, CT · public	$74,869	$72,260	$93,562	$23,000	31%
73	Central Connecticut StateNew Britain, CT · public	$74,676	$72,074	$91,231	$22,534	30%
74	UW-MadisonMadison, WI · public	$74,611	$79,293	$97,845	$20,500	27%
75	Vaughn College of Aeronautics and TechnologyFlushing, NY · private nonprofit	$74,472	$69,006	Not reported	$27,000	36%
76	Wayne StateDetroit, MI · public	$74,457	$77,384	$98,434	$24,140	32%
77	York College of PennsylvaniaYork, PA · private nonprofit	$74,445	$76,298	Not reported	$27,000	36%
78	UVACharlottesville, VA · public	$74,366	$73,554	$91,262	$24,250	33%
79	University of DelawareNewark, DE · public	$74,313	Not adjusted	$91,595	$25,962	35%
80	Arkansas StateJonesboro, AR · public	$74,284	$85,446	$73,570	Not reported	Not reported
81	Drexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · private nonprofit	$74,267	$76,115	$99,010	$31,000	42%
82	Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis, MO · private nonprofit	$74,209	Not adjusted	Not reported	$25,665	35%
83	Colorado School of MinesGolden, CO · public	$74,145	$71,949	$93,871	$25,000	34%
84	University of HoustonHouston, TX · public	$74,043	$76,288	$96,269	$20,000	27%
85	Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL · public	$74,005	Not adjusted	$91,940	$24,514	33%
86	University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, AL · public	$73,984	$83,294	$90,362	$24,897	34%
87	UMass AmherstAmherst, MA · public	$73,972	$69,945	$94,995	$27,000	37%
88	Montana Technological UniversityButte, MT · public	$73,901	Not adjusted	Not reported	$25,750	35%
89	University of GeorgiaAthens, GA · public	$73,872	$76,716	Not reported	$22,814	31%
90	University of HartfordWest Hartford, CT · private nonprofit	$73,871	$71,297	$86,270	$27,000	37%
91	RPITroy, NY · private nonprofit	$73,833	Not adjusted	$94,402	$25,000	34%
92	University of RochesterRochester, NY · private nonprofit	$73,828	Not adjusted	$92,363	$21,000	28%
93	Saint Ambrose UniversityDavenport, IA · private nonprofit	$73,622	Not adjusted	Not reported	$26,996	37%
94	University of North DakotaGrand Forks, ND · public	$73,603	Not adjusted	$88,823	$27,000	37%
95	George MasonFairfax, VA · public	$73,570	$72,767	Not reported	$25,000	34%
96	Embry-Riddle Daytona BeachDaytona Beach, FL · private nonprofit	$73,433	Not adjusted	$93,818	$27,000	37%
96	University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MN · public	$73,433	$74,460	$95,566	$22,077	30%
98	UMass LowellLowell, MA · public	$73,414	$69,418	$95,465	$27,000	37%
99	VCURichmond, VA · public	$73,355	$72,554	$87,500	$22,235	30%
100	Chico StateChico, CA · public	$73,297	$66,200	$102,703	$24,354	33%
101	Texas TechLubbock, TX · public	$73,268	$75,490	$93,452	$25,396	35%
102	UW-StoutMenomonie, WI · public	$73,260	$77,857	Not reported	$27,000	37%
103	Clemson UniversityClemson, SC · public	$73,220	$78,102	$88,351	$24,125	33%
104	Clarkson UniversityPotsdam, NY · private nonprofit	$73,168	$67,798	$92,873	$27,000	37%
105	Portland StatePortland, OR · public	$73,079	$70,703	$88,755	$29,113	40%
106	Marquette UniversityMilwaukee, WI · private nonprofit	$73,049	$77,633	$87,345	$26,602	36%
107	Iowa StateAmes, IA · public	$72,900	Not adjusted	$88,697	$23,500	32%
108	Washington StatePullman, WA · public	$72,690	$67,926	$92,146	$21,000	29%
109	San Francisco StateSan Francisco, CA · public	$72,647	$65,613	$99,619	$22,047	30%
110	Kansas StateManhattan, KS · public	$72,627	$80,636	$89,754	$25,000	34%
111	Lafayette CollegeEaston, PA · private nonprofit	$72,481	Not adjusted	$94,144	$19,500	27%
112	Ohio Northern UniversityAda, OH · private nonprofit	$72,443	$78,085	$88,267	$27,000	37%
113	University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OH · public	$72,412	$78,052	$90,998	$25,998	36%
114	University of South CarolinaColumbia, SC · public	$72,370	$77,195	$88,180	$25,000	35%
115	NC A&TGreensboro, NC · public	$72,278	Not adjusted	$87,420	$29,822	41%
116	California Baptist UniversityRiverside, CA · private nonprofit	$72,224	$65,231	$92,844	$27,000	37%
117	North Dakota StateFargo, ND · public	$72,158	Not adjusted	$86,495	$27,000	37%
118	WashUSt. Louis, MO · private nonprofit	$72,057	Not adjusted	$101,263	$19,000	26%
119	Columbia UniversityNew York, NY · private nonprofit	$72,036	Not adjusted	$103,801	$16,960	24%
120	Alabama A&M UniversityNormal, AL · public	$71,954	Not adjusted	$82,929	$30,500	42%
121	University of DaytonDayton, OH · private nonprofit	$71,911	$77,512	$93,487	$24,250	34%
122	University of MissouriColumbia, MO · public	$71,800	$79,060	$92,736	$22,250	31%
123	Old Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA · public	$71,774	$70,990	$91,945	$27,000	38%
124	Bradley UniversityPeoria, IL · private nonprofit	$71,746	$71,776	$90,408	$27,000	38%
125	University of IowaIowa City, IA · public	$71,732	$81,735	$86,315	$23,109	32%
126	UW-PlattevillePlatteville, WI · public	$71,612	$76,106	$86,418	$26,000	36%
127	RutgersNew Brunswick, NJ · public	$71,569	$65,777	$94,837	$23,250	32%
128	UMass DartmouthNorth Dartmouth, MA · public	$71,559	$67,664	$90,396	$27,000	38%
129	Benedictine CollegeAtchison, KS · private nonprofit	$71,539	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
130	UMBCBaltimore, MD · public	$71,519	$68,140	$93,344	$21,500	30%
131	WVUMorgantown, WV · public	$71,504	Not adjusted	$90,443	$26,242	37%
132	University of Alaska AnchorageAnchorage, AK · public	$71,501	$69,853	$94,609	$13,876	19%
133	University of AkronAkron, OH · public	$71,448	$77,013	$87,380	$25,125	35%
134	University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OK · public	$71,424	$81,309	$91,580	$21,821	31%
135	University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · public	$71,407	Not adjusted	$84,481	$23,014	32%
136	University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA · public	$71,406	$73,183	$93,999	$27,000	38%
137	University of Central OklahomaEdmond, OK · public	$71,362	$81,238	$86,068	$31,000	43%
138	CSUNNorthridge, CA · public	$71,359	$64,450	$100,421	$18,000	25%
139	FIUMiami, FL · public	$71,335	$68,980	$94,520	$19,750	28%
140	University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE · public	$71,318	$79,152	$84,216	$24,000	34%
141	University of LouisvilleLouisville, KY · public	$71,169	$78,937	$90,074	$21,500	30%
142	Christian Brothers UniversityMemphis, TN · private nonprofit	$71,112	$77,405	Not reported	$27,000	38%
143	University of Mount UnionAlliance, OH · private nonprofit	$71,097	$76,635	$88,418	$27,000	38%
144	UMKCKansas City, MO · public	$71,072	$78,258	$94,596	$26,068	37%
145	Seattle Pacific UniversitySeattle, WA · private nonprofit	$71,039	$66,384	Not reported	$26,949	38%
146	University of UtahSalt Lake City, UT · public	$70,999	$71,815	$87,070	$22,400	32%
147	University of New HampshireDurham, NH · public	$70,865	$68,031	$93,816	$27,000	38%
148	Manhattan UniversityRiverdale, NY · private nonprofit	$70,841	$65,642	$93,907	$27,000	38%
149	Gonzaga UniversitySpokane, WA · private nonprofit	$70,819	$66,178	$86,247	$23,664	33%
150	CU DenverDenver, CO · public	$70,763	$68,667	$94,084	$30,907	44%
151	University of KansasLawrence, KS · public	$70,726	$78,525	$94,190	$22,500	32%
152	University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI · public	$70,724	$69,147	$93,316	$25,500	36%
153	Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY · public	$70,722	$78,441	$77,336	$27,000	38%
154	UM-DearbornDearborn, MI · public	$70,688	$73,467	$99,846	$23,950	34%
155	UW-MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WI · public	$70,474	$74,897	$87,002	$27,000	38%
156	UCCSColorado Springs, CO · public	$70,440	$68,354	$90,079	$23,250	33%
157	Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LA · public	$70,372	Not adjusted	$86,794	$26,400	38%
158	University of TulsaTulsa, OK · private nonprofit	$70,220	Not adjusted	$90,509	$19,500	28%
159	Saint Cloud StateSaint Cloud, MN · public	$70,179	$71,160	$86,091	$27,090	39%
160	USFTampa, FL · public	$70,046	$67,734	$91,161	$23,783	34%
161	Ole MissUniversity, MS · public	$70,038	Not adjusted	$85,311	$24,629	35%
162	Saint Martin's UniversityLacey, WA · private nonprofit	$69,938	$65,355	$79,969	$27,000	39%
163	Oklahoma StateStillwater, OK · public	$69,905	$79,579	$91,640	$21,750	31%
164	UICChicago, IL · public	$69,871	$69,900	$88,275	$21,500	31%
165	Central Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MI · public	$69,862	$72,609	$91,993	$27,000	39%
166	Penn StateUniversity Park, PA · public	$69,772	$71,508	$90,200	$27,000	39%
167	San Diego StateSan Diego, CA · public	$69,754	$63,000	$99,279	$19,994	29%
168	IU IndianapolisIndianapolis, IN · public	$69,746	$74,731	$87,604	$26,450	38%
169	University of MaineOrono, ME · public	$69,687	$71,805	$87,105	$27,000	39%
170	South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyRapid City, SD · public	$69,667	Not adjusted	$89,548	$27,000	39%
171	UMSLSaint Louis, MO · public	$69,638	$76,679	$90,966	$32,274	46%
172	UC San DiegoLa Jolla, CA · public	$69,555	$62,821	$99,554	$20,000	29%
173	Florida Institute of TechnologyMelbourne, FL · private nonprofit	$69,533	$67,238	$93,714	$27,000	39%
174	Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, IL · public	$69,454	$69,483	$88,465	$24,250	35%
175	Utah StateLogan, UT · public	$69,406	$70,204	$87,442	$13,654	20%
176	University of MemphisMemphis, TN · public	$69,386	$75,526	$86,402	$27,500	40%
177	UT ArlingtonArlington, TX · public	$69,188	$71,286	$87,372	$24,080	35%
178	Cedarville UniversityCedarville, OH · private nonprofit	$69,178	Not adjusted	$81,962	$25,000	36%
178	UNC CharlotteCharlotte, NC · public	$69,178	$73,339	$85,296	$27,000	39%
180	Ohio UniversityAthens, OH · public	$69,161	$74,548	$87,293	$27,000	39%
181	NC StateRaleigh, NC · public	$69,078	$73,233	$91,136	$24,250	35%
182	Milwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukee, WI · private nonprofit	$68,976	$73,305	$87,507	$27,000	39%
183	University of New OrleansNew Orleans, LA · public	$68,968	$78,189	$88,371	$19,000	28%
184	BYU-IdahoRexburg, ID · private nonprofit	$68,943	Not adjusted	$86,245	$17,613	26%
185	Minnesota State MankatoMankato, MN · public	$68,919	$69,883	$91,980	$27,886	40%
186	Arkansas Tech UniversityRussellville, AR · public	$68,765	$79,098	$84,124	$22,970	33%
187	Stony Brook UniversityStony Brook, NY · public	$68,729	$63,685	$97,629	$20,008	29%
188	Oregon StateCorvallis, OR · public	$68,686	$66,453	$94,649	$24,666	36%
189	NJITNewark, NJ · public	$68,675	$63,118	$87,372	$23,334	34%
190	Purdue NorthwestHammond, IN · public	$68,632	$73,538	$89,239	$25,250	37%
191	Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MA · private nonprofit	$68,615	$64,880	Not reported	$27,000	39%
192	Montana StateBozeman, MT · public	$68,469	Not adjusted	$92,132	$25,011	37%
193	Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA · public	$68,462	$71,098	$85,716	$25,500	37%
194	FAUBoca Raton, FL · public	$68,451	$66,191	$89,022	$22,025	32%
195	University of KentuckyLexington, KY · public	$68,448	$75,919	$87,796	$25,000	37%
196	University of St Thomas (Minnesota)Saint Paul, MN · private nonprofit	$68,440	$69,397	$92,439	$27,000	39%
197	Union CollegeSchenectady, NY · private nonprofit	$68,407	Not adjusted	$97,575	$27,000	39%
198	GCUPhoenix, AZ · private nonprofit	$68,391	$67,931	Not reported	$27,000	39%
199	Lamar UniversityBeaumont, TX · public	$68,359	$70,432	$104,395	$29,000	42%
200	University of Southern MainePortland, ME · public	$68,318	$70,395	$90,682	$35,731	52%
201	Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso, IN · private nonprofit	$68,265	Not adjusted	$83,142	$27,000	40%
202	Western Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MI · public	$68,260	$70,944	$91,489	$31,000	45%
203	UNTDenton, TX · public	$68,173	$70,240	$81,391	$26,974	40%
204	Northern Illinois UniversityDekalb, IL · public	$68,069	$68,098	$86,692	$25,000	37%
205	Miami UniversityOxford, OH · public	$68,067	Not adjusted	$86,964	$25,100	37%
206	Youngstown StateYoungstown, OH · public	$68,061	$73,362	$83,601	$24,817	36%
207	Baker CollegeOwosso, MI · private nonprofit	$68,060	$70,736	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
208	Wichita StateWichita, KS · public	$68,018	$75,518	$88,218	$21,658	32%
209	Seattle UniversitySeattle, WA · private nonprofit	$67,851	$63,404	$101,374	$20,467	30%
210	South Dakota StateBrookings, SD · public	$67,791	Not adjusted	$85,669	$27,000	40%
211	University of Minnesota-DuluthDuluth, MN · public	$67,764	$68,712	$91,075	$27,000	40%
212	Lipscomb UniversityNashville, TN · private nonprofit	$67,725	$73,718	Not reported	$27,000	40%
213	BYUProvo, UT · private nonprofit	$67,668	$68,446	$97,124	$10,500	16%
214	UC IrvineIrvine, CA · public	$67,633	$61,085	$95,534	$14,500	21%
215	University of South AlabamaMobile, AL · public	$67,175	$75,628	$89,384	$26,500	39%
216	Kennesaw StateKennesaw, GA · public	$67,158	$69,743	$86,737	$27,736	41%
217	UC MercedMerced, CA · public	$67,096	$60,600	$85,156	$18,500	28%
218	University of Nevada-Las VegasLas Vegas, NV · public	$67,050	$67,064	$85,200	$20,500	31%
219	University of WashingtonSeattle, WA · public	$66,947	$62,560	$94,653	$15,000	22%
220	Rowan UniversityGlassboro, NJ · public	$66,909	$61,494	$89,308	$22,500	34%
221	UPennPhiladelphia, PA · private nonprofit	$66,876	Not adjusted	$116,366	$12,455	19%
222	University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL · private nonprofit	$66,843	Not adjusted	$96,535	$19,000	28%
223	Trine UniversityAngola, IN · private nonprofit	$66,816	Not adjusted	$87,580	$27,000	40%
224	Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, NY · private nonprofit	$66,789	$61,887	$98,391	$27,000	40%
225	University of North FloridaJacksonville, FL · public	$66,743	$64,540	$87,430	$18,039	27%
226	Prairie View A&M UniversityPrairie View, TX · public	$66,678	$68,700	$96,773	$31,000	46%
227	University of EvansvilleEvansville, IN · private nonprofit	$66,553	Not adjusted	Not reported	$25,010	38%
228	Southern Illinois University EdwardsvilleEdwardsville, IL · public	$66,546	$66,574	$86,329	$23,110	35%
229	UT ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · public	$66,517	$72,403	$84,859	$24,904	37%
230	Sacramento StateSacramento, CA · public	$66,462	$60,027	$91,357	$19,399	29%
231	Texas A&M-Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, TX · public	$66,404	$68,418	$90,045	$28,500	43%
232	Idaho StatePocatello, ID · public	$66,385	$69,517	$88,026	$31,000	47%
233	Binghamton UniversityVestal, NY · public	$66,371	$61,500	$86,404	$19,500	29%
234	Wright StateDayton, OH · public	$66,331	$71,497	$83,880	$25,000	38%
235	UCFOrlando, FL · public	$66,298	$64,109	$92,483	$22,025	33%
236	SUNY New PaltzNew Paltz, NY · public	$66,274	$61,410	Not reported	$24,000	36%
237	Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TN · public	$66,228	$72,089	$88,130	$20,500	31%
238	Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA · public	$66,161	$67,807	$87,733	$26,843	41%
239	CU BoulderBoulder, CO · public	$66,089	$64,132	$91,715	$20,500	31%
240	Fresno StateFresno, CA · public	$65,938	$59,554	$97,316	$17,533	27%
241	City College of New YorkNew York, NY · public	$65,905	$61,068	$93,362	$13,232	20%
242	Gannon UniversityErie, PA · private nonprofit	$65,796	$67,433	$78,829	$27,000	41%
243	Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA · private nonprofit	$65,794	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	41%
244	Oklahoma Christian UniversityEdmond, OK · private nonprofit	$65,764	Not adjusted	$78,480	$23,000	35%
245	TCNJEwing, NJ · public	$65,761	$60,439	$84,253	$22,875	35%
246	University of TennesseeKnoxville, TN · public	$65,756	$71,575	$90,860	$23,250	35%
247	Hofstra UniversityHempstead, NY · private nonprofit	$65,641	$60,823	$96,233	$22,500	34%
248	Quinnipiac UniversityHamden, CT · private nonprofit	$65,640	Not adjusted	Not reported	$27,000	41%
249	Cleveland StateCleveland, OH · public	$65,531	$70,635	$83,818	$25,000	38%
250	Widener UniversityChester, PA · private nonprofit	$65,515	$67,145	$97,717	$27,000	41%
251	University of IdahoMoscow, ID · public	$65,409	Not adjusted	$86,119	$25,000	38%
252	Roger Williams UniversityBristol, RI · private nonprofit	$65,396	Not adjusted	$86,890	$27,000	41%
253	Illinois Institute of TechnologyChicago, IL · private nonprofit	$65,386	$65,413	$88,837	$27,000	41%
254	Cal State FullertonFullerton, CA · public	$65,252	$58,934	$93,073	$19,040	29%
255	UT Permian BasinOdessa, TX · public	$65,167	$67,143	$96,881	$18,750	29%
256	University at BuffaloBuffalo, NY · public	$65,094	$60,316	$81,124	$23,944	37%
257	University of DenverDenver, CO · private nonprofit	$65,014	$63,089	$92,358	$26,248	40%
258	UT TylerTyler, TX · public	$64,977	$66,947	$87,041	$22,125	34%
259	UPR MayaguezMayaguez, PR · public	$64,869	Not adjusted	$87,636	$7,625	12%
260	NYUNew York, NY · private nonprofit	$64,687	$59,939	$83,656	$21,140	33%
261	Purdue Fort WayneFort Wayne, IN · public	$64,534	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
262	UTSASan Antonio, TX · public	$64,313	$66,263	$86,214	$27,000	42%
263	UL LafayetteLafayette, LA · public	$63,812	$72,343	$90,611	$22,175	35%
264	Alfred UniversityAlfred, NY · private nonprofit	$63,747	$59,068	$82,912	$27,000	42%
265	Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ · public	$63,252	$62,827	$89,027	$24,409	39%
266	LeTourneau UniversityLongview, TX · private nonprofit	$63,073	$64,986	$82,546	$26,000	41%
267	Wilkes UniversityWilkes-Barre, PA · private nonprofit	$63,062	$64,631	$84,211	$27,000	43%
268	Fairfield UniversityFairfield, CT · private nonprofit	$62,846	Not adjusted	$88,933	$26,876	43%
269	Boise StateBoise, ID · public	$62,835	$65,800	$85,566	$24,833	40%
270	New Mexico StateLas Cruces, NM · public	$62,813	$68,118	$98,083	$18,759	30%
271	Florida Polytechnic UniversityLakeland, FL · public	$62,595	$60,529	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
272	UC RiversideRiverside, CA · public	$62,554	$56,497	$93,294	$21,000	34%
273	University of New HavenWest Haven, CT · private nonprofit	$62,534	$60,355	$90,370	$27,000	43%
274	Eastern Washington UniversityCheney, WA · public	$62,497	$58,401	$79,732	$26,038	42%
275	UTEPEl Paso, TX · public	$62,393	$64,285	$91,486	$18,875	30%
276	Florida StateTallahassee, FL · public	$62,021	$59,974	$92,658	$24,085	39%
277	University of Nevada-RenoReno, NV · public	$61,977	$61,990	$87,851	$22,750	37%
278	University of VermontBurlington, VT · public	$61,626	Not adjusted	$87,582	$26,000	42%
279	University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM · public	$61,611	$66,815	$102,379	$17,014	28%
280	UT DallasRichardson, TX · public	$61,113	$62,966	$86,469	$24,705	40%
281	Marshall UniversityHuntington, WV · public	$61,020	$68,181	Not reported	$27,000	44%
282	Cal State Long BeachLong Beach, CA · public	$60,996	$55,090	$97,895	$17,653	29%
283	UTRGVEdinburg, TX · public	$60,924	$62,771	$77,043	$15,500	25%
284	Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA · private nonprofit	$60,798	$54,911	$92,031	$21,000	35%
285	Colorado StateFort Collins, CO · public	$60,720	$58,922	$89,087	$26,184	43%
286	SUNY Polytechnic InstituteUtica, NY · public	$60,249	$55,827	Not reported	$26,471	44%
287	Tennessee StateNashville, TN · public	$58,828	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
288	University of West FloridaPensacola, FL · public	$58,548	$56,615	Not reported	$18,500	32%
289	UABBirmingham, AL · public	$58,191	$65,513	$87,901	$26,354	45%
290	New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologySocorro, NM · public	$57,424	$62,274	$100,852	$19,500	34%
291	University of WyomingLaramie, WY · public	$57,153	Not adjusted	$78,879	$22,000	38%
292	Midwestern StateWichita Falls, TX · public	$56,371	$58,080	$76,173	$31,000	55%
293	New York Institute of TechnologyOld Westbury, NY · private nonprofit	$56,254	$52,125	Not reported	$27,225	48%
294	Texas A&M-KingsvilleKingsville, TX · public	$56,135	$57,837	$89,788	$21,678	39%
295	Cal State LALos Angeles, CA · public	$55,405	$50,041	$94,122	$13,000	23%
296	Harding UniversitySearcy, AR · private nonprofit	$53,229	Not adjusted	$79,712	$27,000	51%
297	UH ManoaHonolulu, HI · public	$53,182	$48,369	$98,092	$25,638	48%
298	Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, SC · public	$52,602	Not adjusted	Not reported	$19,500	37%
299	Norwich UniversityNorthfield, VT · private nonprofit	$48,799	Not adjusted	$81,750	$21,500	44%
300	Tarleton StateStephenville, TX · public	$48,585	Not adjusted	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
301	Virginia Military InstituteLexington, VA · public	$47,837	Not adjusted	$83,811	$19,971	42%
302	Inter American University of Puerto Rico-BayamonBayamon, PR · private nonprofit	$35,250	Not adjusted	$62,833	$17,550	50%

Pay after cost of living divides first-year pay by the Bureau of Economic Analysis price level of the school's state, where the US average is 100. It is shown for 228 programs where at least half of the graduates who work are working in the school's state. The other 74, whose graduates mostly work in other states or whose state has no price level, are listed last when you sort by it.

10 programs report pay but not debt, so they are ranked only by pay.

College Scorecard withholds pay for programs with too few graduates, to protect their privacy, so those programs can't be ranked.

Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's) programs by state

Each row is the median across the state's mechanical engineering bachelor's programs. State names link to the full ranking of that state's programs.

#	State	Programs	Year 1 pay	Debt
1	Massachusetts	11	$77,828	$27,000
2	Michigan	16	$76,300	$26,951
3	Alabama	7	$73,984	$26,354
4	Virginia	7	$73,355	$24,250
5	California	26	$72,436	$19,220
6	Wisconsin	6	$72,331	$26,801
7	Pennsylvania	14	$71,944	$26,922
8	Missouri	6	$71,929	$24,226
9	Ohio	14	$71,273	$25,000
10	Louisiana	5	$70,372	$22,175
11	Oklahoma	5	$70,220	$21,821
12	New Jersey	6	$70,122	$23,250
13	Washington	7	$69,938	$23,664
14	Connecticut	6	$69,756	$26,938
15	Illinois	8	$69,663	$23,680
16	Minnesota	5	$68,919	$27,000
17	Indiana	9	$68,632	$25,431
18	New York	21	$68,407	$25,000
19	Colorado	6	$68,265	$25,592
20	Florida	12	$67,647	$22,025
21	Tennessee	8	$67,121	$24,904
22	Texas	23	$66,678	$23,103

Programs in 30 more states and territories report pay, but too few to rank. A state ranking needs at least five programs that report both pay and debt.

Quick picks nationwide

Lowest median debt

MIT, MA$11,334
UPenn, PA$12,455
Cal State LA, CA$13,000
UC Berkeley, CA$13,200
City College of New York, NY$13,232
Vanderbilt University, TN$14,000
UC Irvine, CA$14,500
UC Davis, CA$15,000
University of Washington, WA$15,000
Northwestern University, IL$15,334

Lowest debt for the pay

Only the 220 programs with their own page here are included. "Debt for the pay" is median debt divided by first-year pay.

Careers this field leads to

These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to mechanical engineering, largest first. Pay is the median across the US and all experience levels.

Mechanical Engineers

$104,110

Median pay in the US. 296,810 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 11% from 2025 to 2035, with about 17,800 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $73,990Top 10%: $164,340

Cost Estimators

$78,740

Median pay in the US. 224,220 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to shrink 3% from 2025 to 2035, with about 17,600 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $48,530Top 10%: $130,820

Architectural and Engineering Managers

$171,270

Median pay in the US. 220,260 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,900 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree, plus 5 years or more of related work experience.

Bottom 10%: $120,810Top 10%: $262,760

Aerospace Engineers

$134,960

Median pay in the US. 67,710 people work in this job in the US. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 3,800 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $86,700Top 10%: $205,890

Common questions

The median mechanical engineering bachelor's program in the US pays its graduates $70,725 in their first year and $91,554 five years after.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Medians are across programs, not students: each program counts once, however many graduates it has.
National medians include every program in the 50 states, DC, and US territories, including schools that have since closed. Schools with several campuses that report one combined figure are counted once.
Programs are ranked by College Scorecard median pay one year after graduation. Pay after cost of living uses the price level of the school's state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024