U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 129 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 31% 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 $21,590. College Scorecard.
Portland State University 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 Portland State University'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 | $7,655 | $33,835 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $7,752 | $34,264 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $8,981 | $39,696 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $12,993 | $57,429 | 1.0 years |
| $110k+ | $19,112 | $84,475 | 1.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($94,223) minus $36,549 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in OR (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $57,674 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 Oregon colleges
Every Oregon 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 | Oregon Institute of Technology | $95,470 | $26,258 | $15,706 | 54% |
| 2 | Portland State University | $94,223 | $29,113 | $9,552 | 53% |
| 3 | Oregon State University | $93,740 | $24,666 | $19,604 | 70% |
| 4 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | $93,740 | $24,666 | $18,048 | 56% |
| 5 | University of Portland | $93,119 | $23,681 | $28,210 | 80% |
1 more Oregon 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 Portland State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Portland State University
- Acceptance rate: 91% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 53% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $57,906
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at Portland State University
- Electrical Engineering$101,905
- Civil Engineering$86,084
- Environmental Engineering—
Portland State University Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do Portland State University Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Portland State University earn a median $94,223 four years after graduating and $73,079 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do Portland State University Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Portland State University is $29,113, about 31% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is Portland State University a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Oregon?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of Portland State University earn $94,223 four years out, $483 above the median for the same major across 5 Oregon colleges ($93,740) and $3,033 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Portland State University rank for Mechanical Engineering in Oregon?
Of 5 Oregon colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Portland State University ranks 2nd. The highest is Oregon Institute of Technology at $95,470.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $105,020 in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 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: “Portland State University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/portland-state-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).