# University of Missouri-Columbia: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Columbia, MO. IPEDS 178396, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-missouri-columbia/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $71,800
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $94,629 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $22,250 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in MO: 3 of 6 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MO median for this major (6 colleges, $93,186): +$1,443
- Versus the U.S. median: +$3,439

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.3 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $94,629 minus $35,438 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MO (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $13,841 | $59,516 | 1.0 years |
| 30-48k | $13,378 | $57,525 | 1.0 years |
| 48-75k | $13,722 | $59,005 | 1.0 years |
| 75-110k | $19,762 | $84,977 | 1.4 years |
| 110k+ | $26,304 | $113,107 | 1.9 years |

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

## Mechanical Engineering at MO colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Louis University | $99,331 | $25,665 | $24,398 | 80% |
| Washington University in St Louis | $95,965 | $19,000 | $21,786 | 94% |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | $94,629 | $22,250 | $20,268 | 75% |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | $91,742 | $22,786 | $16,298 | 64% |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | $90,588 | $26,068 | $13,310 | 56% |
| University of Missouri-St Louis | $84,087 | $32,274 | $15,071 | 57% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $82,200 Columbia, MO, $99,330 MO, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $68,610 Columbia, MO, $76,020 MO, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $140,040 Columbia, MO, $157,800 MO, $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).