U.S. median for this major: $91,190.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 25% 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 $38,954. College Scorecard.
Mechanical Engineering at Virginia colleges
Every Virginia 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 | George Mason University | $96,467 | $25,000 | $17,915 | 68% |
| 2 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | $96,376 | $23,000 | $24,953 | 86% |
| 3 | University of Virginia | $94,881 | $24,250 | $21,565 | 96% |
| 4 | Liberty University | $89,129 | $27,000 | $29,357 | 65% |
| 5 | Virginia Commonwealth University | $88,410 | $22,235 | $23,433 | 63% |
| 6 | Old Dominion University | $87,772 | $27,000 | $14,638 | 46% |
| 7 | Virginia Military Institute | $76,909 | $19,971 | $17,113 | 76% |
1 more Virginia 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 VCU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About VCU
- Acceptance rate: 93% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 63% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $58,128
- Full cost breakdown · all 58 majors · overview
Related majors at VCU
- Electrical Engineering$107,487
- Engineering—
VCU Mechanical Engineering questions
How much do VCU Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?
Mechanical Engineering graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University earn a median $88,410 four years after graduating and $73,355 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.
How much debt do VCU Mechanical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University is $22,235, about 25% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.
Where does VCU rank for Mechanical Engineering in Virginia?
Of 7 Virginia colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Virginia Commonwealth University ranks 5th. The highest is George Mason University at $96,467.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is mechanical engineer, with a median wage of $104,130 in the Richmond, VA 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: “Virginia Commonwealth University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/virginia-commonwealth-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).