# Western Kentucky University: Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's)

Bowling Green, KY. IPEDS 157951, CIP 14.19. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-kentucky-university/majors/mechanical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $70,722
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $86,624 (U.S. median for this major: $91,190 across 316 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $27,000 (U.S. median $24,876)
- Rank in KY: 3 of 3 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the KY median for this major (3 colleges, $89,056): -$2,432
- Versus the U.S. median: -$4,566

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.28 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $86,624 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $7,087 | $30,332 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $6,871 | $29,408 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $9,765 | $41,794 | under 1 year |
| 75-110k | $14,049 | $60,130 | 1.1 years |
| 110k+ | $17,653 | $75,555 | 1.4 years |

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

## Mechanical Engineering at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kentucky | $90,654 | $25,000 | $18,851 | 71% |
| University of Louisville | $89,056 | $21,500 | $17,988 | 61% |
| Western Kentucky University | $86,624 | $27,000 | $10,990 | 56% |

## Careers
- Mechanical engineer (SOC 17-2140): median wage $99,090 Bowling Green, KY, $101,050 KY, $104,110 U.S.; U.S. jobs 11.2% by 2035
- Cost Estimators (SOC 13-1051): median wage $71,720 Bowling Green, KY, $74,880 KY, $78,740 U.S.; U.S. jobs -3.1% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $132,540 Bowling Green, KY, $147,680 KY, $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).