Mechanical 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 370 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Mechanical Engineering pays
Career outlook for Mechanical Engineering graduates
The job market for the occupations Mechanical 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical engineers | 293,100 | +9.1% | $102,320 | 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 |
| Aerospace engineers | 71,600 | +6.1% | $134,830 | 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.
Mechanical Engineering vs similar majors
How Mechanical 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.
| Mechanical 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) | $96,499 | $168,920 | $135,617 | $112,722 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $74,970 | $91,796 | $111,379 | $81,735 |
| ROI vs cost | +542% | +1,484% | +996% | +745% |
| Typical debt | $22,680 | $17,166 | $29,370 | $22,332 |
| Colleges offering it | 370 | 6 | 26 | 168 |
Mechanical 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 Mechanical 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 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Master's | $122,443 | — | +5,820% | Strong return |
| 2 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Master's | $165,864 | — | +4,716% | Strong return |
| 3 | El Paso Community College El Paso, TX | Certificate | $58,120 | — | +3,992% | Strong return |
| 4 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Certificate | $108,577 | — | +3,907% | Strong return |
| 5 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $94,122 | $12,500 | +3,833% | Strong return |
| 6 | CUNY City College New York, NY | Associate's | $93,362 | $13,232 | +3,808% | Strong return |
| 7 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | Associate's | $140,707 | — | +3,366% | Strong return |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Master's | $167,643 | — | +2,949% | Strong return |
| 9 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $94,291 | $18,131 | +2,936% | Strong return |
| 10 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Associate's | $97,316 | $12,940 | +2,695% | Strong return |
| 11 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Certificate | $122,320 | — | +2,653% | Strong return |
| 12 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $100,421 | $17,000 | +2,639% | Strong return |
| 13 | Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT | Certificate | $69,954 | — | +2,445% | Strong return |
| 14 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | Associate's | $94,291 | $18,131 | +2,404% | Strong return |
| 15 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Associate's | $112,360 | — | +2,348% | Strong return |
| 16 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH | Associate's | $87,293 | $26,216 | +2,330% | Strong return |
| 17 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Associate's | $93,073 | $18,874 | +2,305% | Strong return |
| 18 | Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN | Associate's | $89,239 | $22,352 | +2,079% | Strong return |
| 19 | Oakland University Rochester Hills, MI | Associate's | $101,107 | $21,500 | +2,052% | Strong return |
| 20 | New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM | Associate's | $98,083 | $19,074 | +2,047% | Strong return |
| 21 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Associate's | $112,325 | $13,000 | +2,024% | Strong return |
| 22 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX | Associate's | $77,043 | $15,125 | +2,012% | Strong return |
| 23 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, NM | Associate's | $100,852 | $19,500 | +1,980% | Strong return |
| 24 | Lamar University Beaumont, TX | Associate's | $104,395 | $27,500 | +1,966% | Strong return |
| 25 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $108,947 | $16,500 | +1,956% | 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.