Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians: 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 81 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians pays
Career outlook for Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians graduates
The job market for the occupations Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | 805,600 | +4.2% | $49,670 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | 67,300 | +1.5% | $77,390 | Associate's degree |
| Mechanical drafters | 42,900 | -6.5% | $68,510 | Associate's degree |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | 38,300 | +0.0% | $68,730 | Associate's degree |
| Motorboat mechanics and service technicians | 26,200 | +6.0% | $54,950 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians | 15,000 | +1.1% | $70,760 | Associate's 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 Related Technologies/Technicians vs similar majors
How Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians stacks up against the closest fields in Engineering Technologies on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Engineering Technologies · this major | Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician | Engineering-Related Fields | Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 80 A | 97 A | 90 A | 91 A |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $74,157 | $132,815 | $109,982 | $89,857 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $58,319 | $101,386 | $89,179 | $71,410 |
| ROI vs cost | +267% | +1,058% | +700% | +461% |
| Typical debt | $20,710 | $10,555 | $25,304 | $22,024 |
| Colleges offering it | 81 | 3 | 52 | 43 |
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians 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 Related Technologies/Technicians
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 | Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland, OH | Certificate | $66,859 | — | +5,024% | Strong return |
| 2 | Weber State University Ogden, UT | Certificate | $78,476 | — | +3,163% | Strong return |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN | Certificate | $68,417 | — | +3,126% | Strong return |
| 4 | Hudson Valley Community College Troy, NY | Certificate | $70,905 | — | +2,947% | Strong return |
| 5 | Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Cincinnati, OH | Certificate | $72,185 | $13,244 | +2,676% | Strong return |
| 6 | CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY | Associate's | $78,275 | $7,000 | +2,499% | Strong return |
| 7 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | Certificate | $79,895 | $15,580 | +2,340% | Strong return |
| 8 | Springfield Technical Community College Springfield, MA | Certificate | $63,069 | $5,445 | +2,263% | Strong return |
| 9 | NHTI-Concord's Community College Concord, NH | Certificate | $81,472 | — | +1,925% | Strong return |
| 10 | Kent State University at Trumbull Warren, OH | Certificate | $78,845 | $17,500 | +1,833% | Strong return |
| 11 | Owens Community College Perrysburg, OH | Certificate | $72,739 | $12,000 | +1,782% | Strong return |
| 12 | Kent State University at Ashtabula Ashtabula, OH | Certificate | $78,845 | $17,500 | +1,721% | Strong return |
| 13 | Kent State University at Tuscarawas New Philadelphia, OH | Certificate | $78,845 | $17,500 | +1,689% | Strong return |
| 14 | Weber State University Ogden, UT | Associate's | $84,885 | $12,250 | +1,497% | Strong return |
| 15 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | Associate's | $86,204 | $23,500 | +1,496% | Strong return |
| 16 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ | Associate's | $91,551 | — | +1,455% | Strong return |
| 17 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | Associate's | $85,932 | $14,000 | +1,425% | Strong return |
| 18 | Fairmont State University Fairmont, WV | Associate's | $81,681 | $19,279 | +1,362% | Strong return |
| 19 | Lawson State Community College Birmingham, AL | Certificate | $53,700 | — | +1,287% | Strong return |
| 20 | SUNY Buffalo State University Buffalo, NY | Associate's | $86,786 | $22,400 | +1,254% | Strong return |
| 21 | Vermont State University Randolph, VT | Certificate | $69,638 | — | +1,253% | Strong return |
| 22 | Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN | Associate's | $71,650 | $20,750 | +1,252% | Strong return |
| 23 | American Public University System Charles Town, WV | Certificate | $109,839 | $31,709 | +1,198% | Strong return |
| 24 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA | Associate's | $80,278 | — | +1,170% | Strong return |
| 25 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH | Certificate | $78,845 | $17,500 | +1,146% | 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.