Mechanical Engineering
Engineering
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | $71,115 | $61,244 to $73,388 | 5 | 100% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $90,717 | $87,518 to $95,335 | 307 | 100% |
| Master's Degree | $112,621 | $104,204 to $124,323 | 96 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +8% (2025 to 2035), about 58,000 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineers | $104,110 | +11.2% | 17,800 |
| Cost Estimators | $78,740 | -3.1% | 17,600 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $171,270 | +5.5% | 14,900 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $109,270 | +7.8% | 3,900 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $134,960 | +8.3% | 3,800 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a mechanical engineering program, of 420 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Purdue University-Main Campus
- Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
- Texas A&M University-College Station
- University of Central Florida
- University of Florida
- University of California-Berkeley
- Arizona State University Campus Immersion
- Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.