U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 120 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 19% 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 $34,705. College Scorecard.
LSU 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 LSU'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 | $13,056 | $56,924 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $15,696 | $68,435 | 1.0 years |
| $48–75k | $20,223 | $88,172 | 1.3 years |
| $75–110k | $23,878 | $104,108 | 1.5 years |
| $110k+ | $26,489 | $115,492 | 1.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (46% 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 ($99,975) minus $32,488 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in LA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $67,487 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 Louisiana colleges
Every Louisiana 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 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | $99,975 | $18,500 | $19,151 | 69% |
| 2 | Southern University and A & M College | $92,969 | $29,500 | $20,077 | 27% |
| 3 | Southern University Law Center | $92,969 | $29,500 | — | — |
| 4 | Louisiana Tech University | $92,457 | $26,400 | $11,864 | 64% |
| 5 | University of New Orleans | $91,435 | $19,000 | $12,384 | 38% |
| 6 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | $91,187 | $22,175 | $13,530 | 53% |
1 more Louisiana 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 LSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About LSU
- Acceptance rate: 73% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 69% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,251
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at LSU
- Electrical Engineering$97,208
- Civil Engineering$85,627
- Industrial Engineering$94,748
- Environmental Engineering$80,129
LSU Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do LSU Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College earn a median $99,975 four years after graduating and $75,311 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do LSU Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College is $18,500, about 19% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is LSU a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Louisiana?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College earn $99,975 four years out, $7,262 above the median for the same major across 6 Louisiana colleges ($92,713) and $8,785 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does LSU rank for Mechanical Engineering in Louisiana?
Of 6 Louisiana colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $135,530 in the Baton Rouge, LA 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: “Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/louisiana-state-university-and-agricultural-and-mechanical-college/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).