Bachelor's-1% vs national median4,527 grads tracked
Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University of Science & Technology
Ranked 50th of 125 bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$74,692
middle 50%: $61,456 – $88,164
Median · 5 years out
$95,783
middle 50%: $81,154 – $114,120
Median · 10 years out
$122,964
middle 50%: $98,010 – $153,779
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Mechanical Engineering (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Mechanical Engineering graduates from Iowa State University see a first-year median salary of $75k. By year 10, median earnings rise to $123k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
4.2 yrs
≈ $4,493 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
$96,680 · 5 yrs out
University of Iowa
$96,556 · 5 yrs out
State University of New York at Stony Brook
$96,517 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Kansas City
$96,404 · 5 yrs out
City College of New York - CUNY
$96,052 · 5 yrs out
West Texas A&M University
$95,880 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The) - Berks
$95,669 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at El Paso
$95,610 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University Northwest
$95,590 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama in Huntsville
$95,359 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$95,335 · 5 yrs out
Northern Arizona University
$95,275 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Iowa State University of Science & Technology
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$147,324 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$146,317 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$136,278 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$118,825 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$116,045 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$115,806 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Doctorate)
$113,881 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$110,315 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$107,785 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$107,597 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$104,160 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$104,015 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Compare universities
Agricultural Engineering
Compare universities
Architectural Engineering
Compare universities
Biochemical Engineering
Compare universities
Biological/Biosystems Engineering
Compare universities
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Compare universities