# University of Southern Maine: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Portland, ME. IPEDS 161554, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-southern-maine/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $68,318
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $88,515 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $35,731 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in ME: 1 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$2,675

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 5.25 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $88,515 minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in ME (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $9,999 | $52,495 | 1.0 years |
| 30-48k | $10,847 | $56,947 | 1.1 years |
| 48-75k | $12,550 | $65,888 | 1.3 years |
| 75-110k | $16,750 | $87,938 | 1.7 years |
| 110k+ | $19,180 | $100,695 | 1.9 years |

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

## Mechanical Engineering at ME colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern Maine | $88,515 | $35,731 | $13,596 | 40% |
| University of Maine | $85,064 | $27,000 | $17,510 | 55% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $107,060 Portland-South Portland, ME, $102,430 ME, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $71,580 Portland-South Portland, ME, $74,080 ME, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $164,530 Portland-South Portland, ME, $145,720 ME, $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).