# Colorado State University-Fort Collins: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Fort Collins, CO. IPEDS 126818, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $60,720
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $94,260 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $26,184 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in CO: 3 of 6 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the CO median for this major (6 colleges, $93,666): +$594
- Versus the U.S. median: +$3,070

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.35 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $94,260 minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $13,259 | $57,677 | 1.1 years |
| 30-48k | $14,460 | $62,901 | 1.2 years |
| 48-75k | $15,905 | $69,187 | 1.3 years |
| 75-110k | $21,927 | $95,382 | 1.8 years |
| 110k+ | $29,763 | $129,469 | 2.4 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Mechanical Engineering at CO colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado School of Mines | $97,087 | $25,000 | $28,690 | 82% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus | $94,320 | $30,907 | $11,900 | 46% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $94,260 | $26,184 | $21,279 | 67% |
| University of Colorado Boulder | $93,073 | $20,500 | $25,346 | 74% |
| University of Denver | $93,026 | $26,248 | $36,131 | 76% |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs | $91,192 | $23,250 | $15,788 | 47% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $102,820 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, $124,430 CO, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $89,540 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, $86,940 CO, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $175,380 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO, $183,810 CO, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).