U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 164 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 26% 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 $33,678. College Scorecard.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville 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 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville'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 | $10,029 | $42,924 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $12,162 | $52,053 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $18,206 | $77,922 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $23,627 | $101,124 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $25,688 | $109,945 | 2.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($90,623) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $56,105 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 Tennessee colleges
Every Tennessee 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 | Vanderbilt University | $101,345 | $14,000 | $15,846 | 94% |
| 2 | Lipscomb University | $93,990 | $27,000 | $24,739 | 72% |
| 3 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | $90,623 | $23,250 | $18,976 | 74% |
| 4 | University of Memphis | $89,516 | $27,500 | $12,397 | 51% |
| 5 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | $89,407 | $24,904 | $14,265 | 50% |
| 6 | Christian Brothers University | $85,285 | $27,000 | $9,854 | 55% |
| 7 | Tennessee Technological University | $84,267 | $20,500 | $14,246 | 58% |
5 more Tennessee 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 The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
- Acceptance rate: 42% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 74% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,249
- Full cost breakdown · all 82 majors · overview
Related majors at The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn a median $90,623 four years after graduating and $65,756 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville is $23,250, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Tennessee?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of The University of Tennessee-Knoxville earn $90,623 four years out, $1,107 above the median for the same major across 7 Tennessee colleges ($89,516) and $567 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does The University of Tennessee-Knoxville rank for Mechanical Engineering in Tennessee?
Of 7 Tennessee colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville ranks 3rd. The highest is Vanderbilt University at $101,345.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $99,070 in the Knoxville, TN area and $104,110 nationally. Others include cost estimators and architectural and engineering managers.
Is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing The University of Tennessee-Knoxville with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
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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: “The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-tennessee-knoxville/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).