U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study; 162 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 24% 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 $31,713. College Scorecard.
University of Missouri-Columbia 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 Missouri-Columbia'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 | $13,841 | $59,516 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $13,378 | $57,525 | 1.0 years |
| $48–75k | $13,722 | $59,005 | 1.0 years |
| $75–110k | $19,762 | $84,977 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $26,304 | $113,107 | 1.9 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 ($94,629) minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $59,191 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 Missouri colleges
Every Missouri 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 | Saint Louis University | $99,331 | $25,665 | $24,398 | 80% |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis | $95,965 | $19,000 | $21,786 | 94% |
| 3 | University of Missouri-Columbia | $94,629 | $22,250 | $20,268 | 75% |
| 4 | Missouri University of Science and Technology | $91,742 | $22,786 | $16,298 | 64% |
| 5 | University of Missouri-Kansas City | $90,588 | $26,068 | $13,310 | 55% |
| 6 | University of Missouri-St Louis | $84,087 | $32,274 | $15,071 | 57% |
1 more Missouri 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 University of Missouri-Columbia, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of Missouri-Columbia
- Acceptance rate: 78% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 75% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,403
- Full cost breakdown · all 87 majors · overview
Related majors at University of Missouri-Columbia
- Electrical Engineering$105,034
- Civil Engineering$83,684
- Engineering$92,426
- Industrial Engineering$101,380
University of Missouri-Columbia Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do University of Missouri-Columbia Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn a median $94,629 four years after graduating and $71,800 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do University of Missouri-Columbia Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia is $22,250, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Is University of Missouri-Columbia a good school for Mechanical Engineering in Missouri?
On pay, Mechanical Engineering graduates of University of Missouri-Columbia earn $94,629 four years out, $1,443 above the median for the same major across 6 Missouri colleges ($93,186) and $3,439 above the U.S. median ($91,190). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does University of Missouri-Columbia rank for Mechanical Engineering in Missouri?
Of 6 Missouri colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, University of Missouri-Columbia ranks 3rd. The highest is Saint Louis University at $99,331.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $82,200 in the Columbia, MO 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 Missouri-Columbia Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).