U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 110 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 $28,596. College Scorecard.
University of Iowa 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 University of Iowa'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 | $15,316 | $64,940 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $15,489 | $65,673 | 1.3 years |
| $48–75k | $19,930 | $84,503 | 1.6 years |
| $75–110k | $23,811 | $100,959 | 1.9 years |
| $110k+ | $26,266 | $111,368 | 2.1 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (57% 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 ($89,078) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $52,417 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 Iowa colleges
Every Iowa 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 Iowa | $89,078 | $23,109 | $22,531 | 75% |
| 2 | Iowa State University | $85,938 | $23,500 | $18,589 | 75% |
| 3 | Dordt University | $78,118 | — | $25,807 | 70% |
3 more Iowa 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 University of Iowa, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Iowa
- Acceptance rate: 84% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,762
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Iowa
- Electrical Engineering$97,208
- Civil Engineering$83,350
- Engineering—
- Industrial Engineering$95,347
- Environmental Engineering—
University of Iowa Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do University of Iowa Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Iowa earn a median $89,078 four years after graduating and $71,732 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do University of Iowa Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Iowa is $23,109, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is University of Iowa a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Iowa?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Iowa earn $89,078 four years out, $3,140 above the median for the same major across 3 Iowa colleges ($85,938) and $2,112 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Iowa rank for Mechanical Engineering in Iowa?
Of 3 Iowa colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, University of Iowa ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $96,190 in the Iowa City, IA 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 Iowa Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-iowa/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).