# New Mexico State University: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Las Cruces, NM. IPEDS 188030, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/new-mexico-state-university-main-campus/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $62,813
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $85,742 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $18,759 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in NM: 3 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the NM median for this major (3 colleges, $94,990): -$9,248
- Versus the U.S. median: -$5,448

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.46 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $85,742 minus $30,723 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NM (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $6,648 | $29,650 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $7,424 | $33,111 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $9,861 | $43,980 | under 1 year |
| 75-110k | $13,146 | $58,631 | 1.1 years |
| 110k+ | $14,049 | $62,659 | 1.1 years |

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

## Mechanical Engineering at NM colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | $98,213 | $19,500 | $9,873 | 57% |
| University of New Mexico | $94,990 | $17,014 | $15,489 | 55% |
| New Mexico State University | $85,742 | $18,759 | $8,889 | 55% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $95,370 Las Cruces, NM, $157,710 NM, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $56,010 Las Cruces, NM, $67,590 NM, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $170,990 Las Cruces, NM, $215,120 NM, $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).