Auburn University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Mechanical Engineering graduates of Auburn University earn a median $93,246 four years after graduating ($74,005 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $24,514. That is $2,056 above the U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates ($91,190 across 316 colleges), and ranks 4th of 7 Alabama colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$93,246

U.S. median for this major: $91,190.

College Scorecard field of study; 180 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$74,005

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$24,514

About 26% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,876.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$24,323 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $34,919. College Scorecard.

Auburn University Mechanical Engineering: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Auburn University graduates$93,246
Alabama median (7 colleges)$93,246 (+$0)
U.S. median (316 colleges)$91,190 (+$2,056)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Mechanical Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses Auburn University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$16,681$72,0621.2 years
$30–48k$17,627$76,1491.2 years
$48–75k$20,558$88,8111.4 years
$75–110k$25,808$111,4911.8 years
$110k+$29,547$127,6432.1 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (57% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Mechanical Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($93,246) minus $31,484 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $61,762 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Mechanical Engineering at Alabama colleges

Every Alabama college we cover that reports Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Alabama in Huntsville$95,341$24,897$18,79664%
2The University of Alabama$95,079$24,755$22,42073%
3Tuskegee University$93,694$30,500$35,01355%
4Auburn University$93,246$24,514$24,32382%
5University of Alabama at Birmingham$89,589$26,354$18,74964%
6University of South Alabama$89,052$26,500$17,64853%
7Alabama A & M University$87,291$30,500$17,62124%

Careers for Mechanical Engineering graduates

Mechanical engineer

Auburn area$100,230
Alabama$100,230
U.S.$104,110

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +11.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Cost Estimators

Auburn area$72,030
Alabama$74,990
U.S.$78,740

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Auburn area$144,800
Alabama$162,350
U.S.$171,270

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at Auburn University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Auburn University

Related majors at Auburn University

Auburn University Mechanical Engineering questions

How much do Auburn University Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?

Mechanical Engineering graduates of Auburn University earn a median $93,246 four years after graduating and $74,005 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.

How much debt do Auburn University Mechanical Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Auburn University is $24,514, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.

Is Auburn University a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Alabama?

On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Auburn University earn $93,246 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 7 Alabama colleges ($93,246) and $2,056 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Auburn University rank for Mechanical Engineering in Alabama?

Of 7 Alabama colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Auburn University ranks 4th. The highest is University of Alabama in Huntsville at $95,341.

What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?

A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $100,230 in the Auburn-Opelika, AL area and $104,110 nationally. Others include cost estimators and architectural and engineering managers.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Auburn University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/auburn-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).