U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 145 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 $29,933. College Scorecard.
NAU 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 NAU'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 | $9,709 | $41,069 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,398 | $43,984 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $13,330 | $56,386 | 1.0 years |
| $75–110k | $18,050 | $76,352 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $20,686 | $87,502 | 1.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (45% 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 ($91,941) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AZ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $55,280 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 Arizona colleges
Every Arizona 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 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | $96,331 | $27,000 | $40,287 | 68% |
| 2 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | $95,090 | $20,500 | $14,967 | 68% |
| 3 | Northern Arizona University | $91,941 | $24,409 | $14,158 | 61% |
| 4 | University of Arizona | $90,384 | $23,391 | $16,674 | 68% |
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 NAU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About NAU
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 61% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,384
- Full cost breakdown · all 82 majors · overview
Related majors at NAU
- Electrical Engineering$95,388
- Civil Engineering$88,184
- Engineering—
- Environmental Engineering$78,955
NAU Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do NAU Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $91,941 four years after graduating and $63,252 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do NAU Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Northern Arizona University is $24,409, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is NAU a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Arizona?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Northern Arizona University earn $91,941 four years out, $3,149 below the median for the same major across 5 Arizona colleges ($95,090) and $751 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does NAU rank for Mechanical Engineering in Arizona?
Of 4 Arizona colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Northern Arizona University ranks 3rd. The highest is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott at $96,331.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $98,150 in the Flagstaff, AZ area and $104,110 nationally. Others include cost estimators and architectural and engineering managers.
Is NAU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing NAU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Northern Arizona University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-arizona-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).