U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 67 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 22% 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 $23,274. College Scorecard.
NMSU 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 NMSU'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 | $6,648 | $29,650 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $7,424 | $33,111 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $9,861 | $43,980 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $13,146 | $58,631 | 1.1 years |
| $110k+ | $14,049 | $62,659 | 1.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (32% 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 ($85,742) minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,019 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 New Mexico colleges
Every New Mexico 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 | New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | $98,213 | $19,500 | $9,873 | 57% |
| 2 | University of New Mexico | $94,990 | $17,014 | $15,489 | 55% |
| 3 | New Mexico State University | $85,742 | $18,759 | $8,889 | 55% |
1 more New Mexico 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 NMSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NMSU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 55% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $39,067
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at NMSU
- Electrical Engineering$95,683
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$96,510
- Civil Engineering$74,115
- Industrial Engineering—
NMSU Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do NMSU Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of New Mexico State University earn a median $85,742 four years after graduating and $62,813 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do NMSU Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of New Mexico State University is $18,759, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is NMSU a good school for Mechanical Engineering in New Mexico?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of New Mexico State University earn $85,742 four years out, $9,248 below the median for the same major across 3 New Mexico colleges ($94,990) and $5,448 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does NMSU rank for Mechanical Engineering in New Mexico?
Of 3 New Mexico colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, New Mexico State University ranks 3rd. The highest is New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology at $98,213.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $95,370 in the Las Cruces, NM 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: “New Mexico State University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/new-mexico-state-university-main-campus/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).