Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt & careers

Mechanical Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $96,376 four years after graduating ($78,280 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $23,000. That is $5,186 above the U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates ($91,190 across 316 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 7 Virginia colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$96,376

U.S. median for this major: $91,190.

College Scorecard field of study

Earnings, 1 year after
$78,280

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$23,000

About 24% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $24,876.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$24,953 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $36,951. 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.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1George Mason University$96,467$25,000$17,91568%
2Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University$96,376$23,000$24,95386%
3University of Virginia$94,881$24,250$21,56596%
4Liberty University$89,129$27,000$29,35765%
5Virginia Commonwealth University$88,410$22,235$23,43363%
6Old Dominion University$87,772$27,000$14,63846%
7Virginia Military Institute$76,909$19,971$17,11376%

1 more Virginia college offers Mechanical Engineering but has too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Mechanical Engineering graduates

Mechanical engineer

Blacksburg area$98,400
Virginia$104,180
U.S.$104,110

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +11.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Cost Estimators

Blacksburg area$67,040
Virginia$80,530
U.S.$78,740

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Architectural and Engineering Managers

Blacksburg area$137,870
Virginia$176,160
U.S.$171,270

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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Related majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Mechanical Engineering questions

How much do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Mechanical Engineering graduates earn?

Mechanical Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University earn a median $96,376 four years after graduating and $78,280 one year after. The U.S. median for Mechanical Engineering graduates across 316 colleges is $91,190.

How much debt do Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Mechanical Engineering graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is $23,000, about 24% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $24,876.

Where does Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University rank for Mechanical Engineering in Virginia?

Of 7 Virginia colleges reporting Mechanical Engineering graduate earnings, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 2nd. 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 $98,400 in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, 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
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Cite this: “Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Mechanical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university/majors/mechanical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).