U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 51 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 29% 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 $28,145. College Scorecard.
UAB 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 UAB'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 | $16,172 | $70,672 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $15,500 | $67,735 | 1.2 years |
| $48–75k | $19,161 | $83,734 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $21,805 | $95,288 | 1.6 years |
| $110k+ | $22,597 | $98,749 | 1.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (43% 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 ($89,589) minus $31,484 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $58,105 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 Alabama colleges
Every Alabama 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 Alabama in Huntsville | $95,341 | $24,897 | $18,796 | 64% |
| 2 | The University of Alabama | $95,079 | $24,755 | $22,420 | 73% |
| 3 | Tuskegee University | $93,694 | $30,500 | $35,013 | 55% |
| 4 | Auburn University | $93,246 | $24,514 | $24,323 | 82% |
| 5 | University of Alabama at Birmingham | $89,589 | $26,354 | $18,749 | 64% |
| 6 | University of South Alabama | $89,052 | $26,500 | $17,648 | 53% |
| 7 | Alabama A & M University | $87,291 | $30,500 | $17,621 | 24% |
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 UAB, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UAB
- Acceptance rate: 88% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 64% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,501
- Full cost breakdown · all 49 majors · overview
Related majors at UAB
- Electrical Engineering$90,089
- Civil Engineering$78,054
- Engineering—
UAB Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do UAB Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham earn a median $89,589 four years after graduating and $58,191 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do UAB Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham is $26,354, about 29% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is UAB a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Alabama?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Alabama at Birmingham earn $89,589 four years out, $3,657 below the median for the same major across 7 Alabama colleges ($93,246) and $1,601 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UAB rank for Mechanical Engineering in Alabama?
Of 7 Alabama colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, University of Alabama at Birmingham ranks 5th. The highest is University of Alabama in Huntsville at $95,341.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $98,810 in the Birmingham, AL 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: “University of Alabama at Birmingham Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-alabama-at-birmingham/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).