U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 224 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 27% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,876.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $35,015. College Scorecard.
Clemson University Mechanical Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
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 Clemson University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,607 | $57,830 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $14,109 | $59,963 | 1.0 years |
| $48–75k | $18,851 | $80,117 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $24,833 | $105,540 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $27,922 | $118,669 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (68% 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 ($91,028) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $57,512 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 South Carolina colleges
Every South Carolina college we cover that reports Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South Carolina-Columbia | $91,296 | $25,000 | $22,811 | 79% |
| 2 | Clemson University | $91,028 | $24,125 | $22,253 | 87% |
| 3 | Citadel Military College of South Carolina | $83,912 | $19,500 | $20,723 | 75% |
2 more South Carolina colleges offer Mechanical Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Mechanical Engineering graduates
Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +11.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Cost Estimators
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
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 Clemson University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Clemson University
- Acceptance rate: 38% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 87% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $71,513
- Full cost breakdown · all 70 majors · overview
Related majors at Clemson University
- Electrical Engineering$96,446
- Civil Engineering$84,873
- Industrial Engineering$92,491
- Environmental Engineering$81,714
Clemson University Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do Clemson University Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Clemson University earn a median $91,028 four years after graduating and $73,220 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do Clemson University Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Clemson University is $24,125, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is Clemson University a good school for Mechanical Engineering in South Carolina?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Clemson University earn $91,028 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 3 South Carolina colleges ($91,028) and $162 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Clemson University rank for Mechanical Engineering in South Carolina?
Of 3 South Carolina colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Clemson University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of South Carolina-Columbia at $91,296.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $101,570 in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Clemson University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/clemson-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).