Bachelor's+4% vs national median3,502 grads tracked
Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Ranked 20th of 125 bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$77,398
middle 50%: $63,695 – $91,186
Median · 5 years out
$100,162
middle 50%: $84,639 – $118,656
Median · 10 years out
$125,234
middle 50%: $103,067 – $158,199
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
Penn State Mechanical Engineering graduates start with a $77k median salary. By year ten, median earnings reach $125k.
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 yrs
≈ $4,312 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$100,766 · 5 yrs out
University of Oklahoma
$100,601 · 5 yrs out
Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical Colg at Baton Rouge
$100,497 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$100,411 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$100,217 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$100,175 · 5 yrs out
University of Arizona (The)
$100,126 · 5 yrs out
Prairie View Agricultural & Mechanical University
$99,690 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Tyler
$99,411 · 5 yrs out
Central Connecticut State University
$99,338 · 5 yrs out
Colorado School of Mines
$99,283 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$99,147 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The)
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$182,178 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$177,057 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$143,044 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$135,252 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$130,869 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$122,394 · 5 yrs out
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's)
$116,440 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$115,495 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$115,004 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,831 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,734 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,727 · 5 yrs out
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