Manufacturing Engineering: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 8 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Manufacturing Engineering pays
Career outlook for Manufacturing Engineering graduates
The job market for the occupations Manufacturing Engineering graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial engineers | 351,100 | +11.0% | $101,140 | Bachelor's degree |
| Cost estimators | 221,400 | -4.2% | $77,070 | Bachelor's degree |
| Architectural and engineering managers | 212,500 | +3.8% | $167,740 | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineers, all other | 158,800 | +2.1% | $117,750 | Bachelor's degree |
| Engineering teachers, postsecondary | 50,300 | +8.1% | $106,120 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Manufacturing Engineering vs similar majors
How Manufacturing Engineering stacks up against the closest fields in Engineering on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Manufacturing Engineering Engineering · this major | Operations Research | Systems Engineering | Computer Engineering | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 91 A | 94 A | 88 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $87,799 | $168,920 | $135,617 | $112,722 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $71,412 | $91,796 | $111,379 | $81,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +440% | +1,484% | +996% | +745% |
| Typical debt | $19,914 | $17,166 | $29,370 | $22,332 |
| Colleges offering it | 8 | 6 | 26 | 168 |
Manufacturing Engineering earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Manufacturing Engineering
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | Associate's | $93,335 | $19,000 | +1,512% | Strong return |
| 2 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | Associate's | $77,154 | $16,052 | +1,292% | Strong return |
| 3 | Brigham Young University Provo, UT | Associate's | $91,738 | $11,000 | +1,230% | Strong return |
| 4 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, OR | Associate's | $92,078 | $20,653 | +979% | Strong return |
| 5 | Texas State University San Marcos, TX | Associate's | $86,375 | $19,750 | +914% | Strong return |
| 6 | Oregon State University Corvallis, OR | Associate's | $92,078 | $20,653 | +907% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI | Associate's | $81,185 | $25,200 | +719% | Strong return |
| 8 | Bradley University Peoria, IL | Associate's | $88,449 | $27,000 | +686% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.