Bachelor's+1% vs national median2,372 grads tracked
Mechanical Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Ranked 35th of 125 bachelor's programs in Mechanical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$75,181
middle 50%: $61,760 – $88,706
Median · 5 years out
$97,660
middle 50%: $82,327 – $116,351
Median · 10 years out
$121,366
middle 50%: $98,329 – $156,919
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 earn $75k in their first year. Median compensation reaches $121k 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
4.2 yrs
≈ $4,444 total interest
Same major at other universities
Quinnipiac University
$98,392 · 5 yrs out
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
$98,353 · 5 yrs out
Oregon Institute of Technology
$98,320 · 5 yrs out
Arizona State University
$98,212 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Lowell
$98,155 · 5 yrs out
University of Texas at Arlington
$97,934 · 5 yrs out
University of New Orleans (The)
$97,375 · 5 yrs out
Oregon State University
$97,375 · 5 yrs out
University of Saint Thomas
$97,281 · 5 yrs out
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
$97,072 · 5 yrs out
University of Colorado Boulder
$96,962 · 5 yrs out
Oklahoma State University
$96,932 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at University of Wisconsin - Madison
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$227,440 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$191,060 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$179,858 · 5 yrs out
Medicine (Doctorate)
$176,530 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctorate)
$153,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$153,036 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctorate)
$143,232 · 5 yrs out
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Bachelor's)
$140,310 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$139,926 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$134,767 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$133,218 · 5 yrs out
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's)
$127,595 · 5 yrs out
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