Bachelor's-2% vs national median2,860 grads tracked
Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University
Ranked 67th of 125 bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$73,917
middle 50%: $60,089 – $85,085
Median · 5 years out
$94,517
middle 50%: $80,121 – $110,587
Median · 10 years out
$118,219
middle 50%: $96,145 – $147,566
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 at North Carolina State University earn $74k in their first year. This median increases to $95k after five years and $118k after ten years.
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
4.3 yrs
≈ $4,548 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Colorado Denver
$95,004 · 5 yrs out
University of Georgia
$94,903 · 5 yrs out
University of Hartford
$94,869 · 5 yrs out
Colorado State University
$94,865 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Military Institute
$94,807 · 5 yrs out
West Virginia University - Institute of Technology
$94,789 · 5 yrs out
University of New Haven
$94,584 · 5 yrs out
University of Wyoming
$94,305 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama at Birmingham
$94,107 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Columbia
$94,029 · 5 yrs out
Utah State University
$93,917 · 5 yrs out
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
$93,807 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at North Carolina State University
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$164,191 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$159,758 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$133,569 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,109 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,091 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$113,912 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$110,004 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Doctorate)
$109,592 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$106,364 · 5 yrs out
Physical Sciences (Doctorate)
$106,347 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$105,676 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$105,676 · 5 yrs out
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