# The University of Alabama: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Tuscaloosa, AL. IPEDS 100751, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/the-university-of-alabama/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $75,238
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $95,079 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,755 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in AL: 2 of 7 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the AL median for this major (7 colleges, $93,246): +$1,833
- Versus the U.S. median: +$3,889

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.27 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $95,079 minus $31,484 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AL (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $19,169 | $81,852 | 1.3 years |
| 30-48k | $19,884 | $84,905 | 1.3 years |
| 48-75k | $22,258 | $95,042 | 1.5 years |
| 75-110k | $25,658 | $109,560 | 1.7 years |
| 110k+ | $26,729 | $114,133 | 1.8 years |

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

## Mechanical Engineering at AL colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | $95,341 | $24,897 | $18,796 | 64% |
| The University of Alabama | $95,079 | $24,755 | $22,420 | 73% |
| Tuskegee University | $93,694 | $30,500 | $35,013 | 55% |
| Auburn University | $93,246 | $24,514 | $24,323 | 82% |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $89,589 | $26,354 | $18,749 | 64% |
| University of South Alabama | $89,052 | $26,500 | $17,648 | 53% |
| Alabama A & M University | $87,291 | $30,500 | $17,621 | 24% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $110,520 Tuscaloosa, AL, $100,230 AL, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $74,800 Tuscaloosa, AL, $74,990 AL, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $140,070 Tuscaloosa, AL, $162,350 AL, $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).