U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 251 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 25% 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 $32,198. College Scorecard.
MSU 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 MSU'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 | $7,068 | $29,968 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,830 | $45,919 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $16,521 | $70,049 | 1.1 years |
| $75–110k | $22,703 | $96,261 | 1.5 years |
| $110k+ | $28,546 | $121,035 | 1.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (65% 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 ($97,946) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $64,535 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 Michigan-Ann Arbor | $105,888 | $21,750 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | University of Detroit Mercy | $104,683 | — | $15,232 | 67% |
| 3 | Lawrence Technological University | $100,145 | $27,000 | $32,918 | 61% |
| 4 | Kettering University | $99,292 | $28,000 | $34,660 | 71% |
| 5 | Michigan State University | $97,946 | $24,000 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 6 | Oakland University | $97,444 | $25,000 | $9,120 | 58% |
| 7 | University of Michigan-Dearborn | $94,919 | $23,950 | $9,492 | 58% |
| 8 | Wayne State University | $94,869 | $24,140 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 9 | Grand Valley State University | $90,565 | $28,000 | $16,317 | 67% |
| 10 | Lake Superior State University | $90,216 | $26,901 | $12,822 | 51% |
| 11 | University of Michigan-Flint | $89,554 | $31,000 | $7,007 | 40% |
| 12 | Michigan Technological University | $88,860 | $27,000 | $14,182 | 68% |
| 13 | Western Michigan University | $87,477 | $31,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
| 14 | Central Michigan University | $85,196 | $27,000 | $17,597 | 59% |
| 15 | Saginaw Valley State University | $83,873 | $26,679 | $10,775 | 48% |
2 more Michigan 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 MSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About MSU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 81% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $67,253
- Full cost breakdown · all 105 majors · overview
Related majors at MSU
- Electrical Engineering$100,481
- Civil Engineering$90,650
- Engineering$102,301
MSU Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do MSU Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Michigan State University earn a median $97,946 four years after graduating and $80,259 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do MSU Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Michigan State University is $24,000, about 25% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is MSU a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Michigan?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Michigan State University earn $97,946 four years out, $3,077 above the median for the same major across 15 Michigan colleges ($94,869) and $6,756 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does MSU rank for Mechanical Engineering in Michigan?
Of 15 Michigan colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Michigan State University ranks 5th. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $105,888.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $98,550 in the Lansing-East Lansing, MI 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: “Michigan State University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/michigan-state-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).