Bachelor's-9% vs national median857 grads tracked
Mechanical Engineering at South Dakota State University
Ranked 119th of 125 bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$68,453
middle 50%: $57,481 – $78,020
Median · 5 years out
$87,405
middle 50%: $75,437 – $102,420
Median · 10 years out
$105,366
middle 50%: $86,992 – $132,337
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
South Dakota State University mechanical engineering alumni earn a median of $68k in year one. Salaries reach $105k 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
4.6 yrs
≈ $4,946 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
$88,576 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The) - Harrisburg
$88,566 · 5 yrs out
Trine University
$88,552 · 5 yrs out
University of Maine
$88,474 · 5 yrs out
Kennesaw State University
$87,926 · 5 yrs out
University of Missouri - Saint Louis
$87,528 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University Fort Wayne
$86,911 · 5 yrs out
Midwestern State University
$86,655 · 5 yrs out
Cleveland State University
$86,549 · 5 yrs out
Montana Technological University
$85,856 · 5 yrs out
Wright State University
$85,519 · 5 yrs out
Indiana Institute of Technology
$84,610 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at South Dakota State University
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$152,803 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$152,496 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$148,262 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$142,581 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Master's)
$113,950 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Master's)
$100,794 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$97,697 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$94,389 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$93,240 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$90,181 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$90,181 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural Engineering (Bachelor's)
$86,663 · 5 yrs out
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