U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 207 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 28% 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 $31,642. College Scorecard.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins 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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins'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 | $13,259 | $57,677 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $14,460 | $62,901 | 1.2 years |
| $48–75k | $15,905 | $69,187 | 1.3 years |
| $75–110k | $21,927 | $95,382 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $29,763 | $129,469 | 2.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (47% 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 ($94,260) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $53,650 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 Colorado colleges
Every Colorado 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 | Colorado School of Mines | $97,087 | $25,000 | $28,690 | 82% |
| 2 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $94,320 | $30,907 | $11,900 | 46% |
| 3 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $94,260 | $26,184 | $21,279 | 67% |
| 4 | University of Colorado Boulder | $93,073 | $20,500 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 5 | University of Denver | $93,026 | $26,248 | $36,131 | 76% |
| 6 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | $91,192 | $23,250 | $15,788 | 47% |
1 more Colorado college offers Mechanical Engineering but has 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 Colorado State University-Fort Collins, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 67% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,543
- Full cost breakdown · all 71 majors · overview
Related majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Electrical Engineering$99,172
- Civil Engineering$88,001
- Environmental Engineering$82,005
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do Colorado State University-Fort Collins Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn a median $94,260 four years after graduating and $60,720 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do Colorado State University-Fort Collins Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins is $26,184, about 28% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Colorado?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn $94,260 four years out, $594 above the median for the same major across 6 Colorado colleges ($93,666) and $3,070 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Colorado State University-Fort Collins rank for Mechanical Engineering in Colorado?
Of 6 Colorado colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Colorado State University-Fort Collins ranks 3rd. The highest is Colorado School of Mines at $97,087.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $102,820 in the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO area and $104,110 nationally. Others include cost estimators and architectural and engineering managers.
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins the right fit for your family?
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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: “Colorado State University-Fort Collins Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).