Mechanical Engineering degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in mechanical engineering earn a median $91,190 four years after finishing, across 316 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in mechanical engineering earn $90,254, $28,205 more than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is mechanical engineers (20%).
Median across 316 colleges; middle half $87,997–$95,341.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $70,052–$111,719. 9,836 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Mechanical Engineering"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$54,616/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs mechanical engineering graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in mechanical engineering actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineers | 20% | $104,110 | +11.2% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Other Engineers | 11% | — | — | — | — |
| Industrial Engineers, Including Health And Safety | 7% | $102,670 | +12.0% | — | — |
| Civil Engineers | 5% | $100,840 | +6.4% | Bachelor's degree | RIC |
| Software Developers | 5% | $135,980 | +10.2% | Bachelor's degree | IC |
| Aerospace Engineers | 4% | $134,960 | +8.3% | Bachelor's degree | IRC |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Project Management Specialists | 2% | $102,320 | +6.7% | Bachelor's degree | EC |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Mechanical Engineering earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $93,246 (7) | $91,372 (141) |
| Arizona | $95,090 (5) | $91,372 (165) |
| Arkansas | $84,986 (4) | — |
| California | $99,216 (27) | $99,700 (1,273) |
| Colorado | $93,666 (6) | $93,073 (378) |
| Connecticut | $90,261 (10) | $96,079 (155) |
| Florida | $89,622 (11) | $77,561 (413) |
| Georgia | $88,613 (4) | $85,541 (294) |
| Idaho | $86,327 (4) | — |
| Illinois | $87,586 (8) | $90,254 (381) |
| Indiana | $90,583 (9) | $89,493 (210) |
| Iowa | $85,938 (3) | — |
| Kansas | $88,533 (3) | — |
| Kentucky | $89,056 (3) | $83,789 (114) |
| Louisiana | $92,713 (6) | $89,375 (104) |
| Maryland | $100,003 (3) | $81,220 (200) |
| Massachusetts | $96,999 (11) | $98,650 (309) |
| Michigan | $94,869 (15) | $93,403 (450) |
| Minnesota | $88,965 (5) | $90,357 (205) |
| Missouri | $93,186 (6) | $90,254 (170) |
| New Jersey | $92,806 (6) | $87,141 (234) |
| New Mexico | $94,990 (3) | — |
| New York | $91,821 (21) | $93,403 (429) |
| North Carolina | $87,688 (4) | $91,651 (258) |
| Ohio | $88,046 (20) | $83,527 (423) |
| Oklahoma | $89,436 (5) | — |
| Oregon | $93,740 (5) | $95,459 (138) |
| Pennsylvania | $90,382 (20) | $87,106 (389) |
| South Carolina | $91,028 (3) | $81,875 (151) |
| Tennessee | $89,516 (7) | $89,375 (173) |
| Texas | $90,102 (21) | $91,880 (866) |
| Utah | $90,634 (3) | $87,107 (138) |
| Virginia | $89,129 (7) | $96,653 (255) |
| Washington | $95,094 (8) | $95,459 (323) |
| Wisconsin | $87,392 (6) | $89,493 (213) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where mechanical engineering graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 14 in Florida, 8 in Virginia, 29 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University Maritime AcademyCA | $126,395 | $19,690 |
| 2 | Santa Clara UniversityCA | $122,111 | $19,500 |
| 3 | University of California-BerkeleyCA | $119,371 | $13,200 |
| 4 | Stanford UniversityCA | $117,072 | — |
| 5 | University of California-Los AngelesCA | $108,875 | $17,000 |
| 6 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoCA | $106,750 | $20,500 |
| 7 | California Baptist UniversityCA | $105,046 | $27,000 |
| 8 | University of Southern CaliforniaCA | $104,649 | $17,500 |
| 9 | University of California-Santa BarbaraCA | $104,336 | $15,908 |
| 10 | University of California-San DiegoCA | $104,229 | $20,000 |
| 11 | University of California-DavisCA | $102,161 | $15,000 |
| 12 | San Francisco State UniversityCA | $102,104 | $22,047 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Mechanical Engineering degree questions
How much do Mechanical Engineering graduates make?
Mechanical Engineering graduates earn a median $91,190 four years after finishing, across 316 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $87,997 to $95,341; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in mechanical engineering, the median is $90,254 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Mechanical Engineering degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in mechanical engineering earn a median $90,254: $28,205 more than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $54,616 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Mechanical Engineering graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in mechanical engineering, the most common jobs are mechanical engineers (20%), other engineers (11%), industrial engineers, including health and safety (7%). Mechanical Engineers earn a U.S. median $104,110.
How much do Mechanical Engineering graduates earn in Florida?
Across 11 Florida colleges reporting, Mechanical Engineering graduates earn a median $89,622 four years after graduating; at ages 25-34, Floridians with this field of degree earn $77,561.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Mechanical Engineering degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/mechanical-engineering.