U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 84 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 $26,751. College Scorecard.
KU 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 KU'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 | $12,544 | $53,437 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $12,942 | $55,133 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,154 | $64,556 | 1.3 years |
| $75–110k | $19,169 | $81,660 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $22,544 | $96,037 | 2.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% 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 ($82,934) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $48,718 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 Kansas colleges
Every Kansas 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 | Wichita State University | $89,074 | $21,658 | $13,194 | 51% |
| 2 | Kansas State University | $88,533 | $25,000 | $19,406 | 71% |
| 3 | University of Kansas | $82,934 | $22,500 | $18,059 | 69% |
2 more Kansas 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 KU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About KU
- Acceptance rate: 93% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 69% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,945
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at KU
- Electrical Engineering—
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$92,335
- Civil Engineering$89,087
KU Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do KU Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Kansas earn a median $82,934 four years after graduating and $70,726 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do KU Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Kansas is $22,500, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is KU a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Kansas?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Kansas earn $82,934 four years out, $5,599 below the median for the same major across 3 Kansas colleges ($88,533) and $8,256 below the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does KU rank for Mechanical Engineering in Kansas?
Of 3 Kansas colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, University of Kansas ranks 3rd. The highest is Wichita State University at $89,074.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $94,990 in the Lawrence, KS 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 Kansas Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kansas/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).