# University of Kansas: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Lawrence, KS. IPEDS 155317, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kansas/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $70,726
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $82,934 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $22,500 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in KS: 3 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KS median for this major (3 colleges, $88,533): -$5,599
- Versus the U.S. median: -$8,256

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.26 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $82,934 minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,544 | $53,437 | 1.1 years |
| 30-48k | $12,942 | $55,133 | 1.1 years |
| 48-75k | $15,154 | $64,556 | 1.3 years |
| 75-110k | $19,169 | $81,660 | 1.7 years |
| 110k+ | $22,544 | $96,037 | 2.0 years |

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

## Mechanical Engineering at KS colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita State University | $89,074 | $21,658 | $13,194 | 51% |
| Kansas State University | $88,533 | $25,000 | $19,406 | 71% |
| University of Kansas | $82,934 | $22,500 | $18,059 | 69% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $94,990 Lawrence, KS, $86,260 KS, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $70,630 Lawrence, KS, $76,250 KS, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $156,080 Lawrence, KS, $160,150 KS, $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).