Bachelor's-4% vs national median829 grads tracked
Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University (The) - Erie, The Behrend College
Ranked 90th of 125 bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$72,071
middle 50%: $58,307 – $83,312
Median · 5 years out
$92,296
middle 50%: $77,949 – $106,585
Median · 10 years out
$115,056
middle 50%: $95,719 – $140,979
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 Penn State Behrend see a $72k median starting salary. Earnings grow to $92k by year five and exceed $115k after a decade.
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
≈ $4,672 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Hawaii at Manoa
$92,698 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
$92,673 · 5 yrs out
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
$92,662 · 5 yrs out
University of Toledo
$92,584 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas of the Permian Basin
$92,357 · 5 yrs out
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
$92,308 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University - North Central
$92,269 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State University, Mankato
$92,158 · 5 yrs out
Montana State University Bozeman
$92,156 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at San Antonio
$92,016 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Commonwealth University
$91,896 · 5 yrs out
St. Cloud State University
$91,526 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The) - Erie, The Behrend College
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$102,796 · 5 yrs out
Computer Science (Bachelor's)
$101,968 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$100,616 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$98,769 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$95,088 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$94,389 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Bachelor's)
$93,253 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's)
$91,385 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$90,845 · 5 yrs out
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's)
$89,501 · 5 yrs out
Polymer/Plastics Engineering (Bachelor's)
$88,324 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$81,043 · 5 yrs out
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