Mechanical Engineering graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn $131,967 median salary — above the national average for this program. Median debt: $11,507.
Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts • Bachelor's
What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
This page combines two federal data products: IPEDS institutional characteristics for Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the College Scorecard field-of-study (FOS) file for Mechanical Engineering at the bachelor's credential level. The FOS file is keyed by CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code, which means earnings and debt figures here reflect only graduates of this specific program — not the school as a whole. IPEDS reports 142 completers in the most recent cohort for this program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the denominator behind the median earnings figure.
Median graduate earnings of $131,967 represent Treasury-verified wages approximately one year after program completion, drawn from Social Security Administration records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Compared to the national mean of $90,713 across all institutions offering Mechanical Engineering, graduates here earn above the national average for this program. Across all programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the mean median-earnings figure is $136,068, providing internal context for whether this specific field out-earns other options at the same institution.
Debt signals complete the ROI picture. The median cumulative federal loan debt for Mechanical Engineering graduates at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $11,507, which translates to roughly $96 per month on a standard 10-year repayment plan. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.09 is under the 1.0 threshold the College Scorecard uses to flag favorable gainful-employment outcomes — earnings in year one already exceed cumulative borrowing. Program-level debt and earnings come from the Department of Education’s College Scorecard FOS release, updated annually.
Earnings Comparison
Program Details
Debt & ROI
Mechanical Engineering at Other Schools
| School | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (this school) | $131,967 | $11,507 |
| California State University Maritime Academy | $126,395 | $19,690 |
| Santa Clara University | $122,111 | $19,000 |
| Duke University | $120,991 | $10,000 |
| University of California-Berkeley | $119,371 | $13,000 |
| Stanford University | $117,072 | — |
| Princeton University | $115,927 | — |
| University of Pennsylvania | $114,492 | $12,910 |
| Cornell University | $112,212 | $15,500 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York | $111,491 | $10,057 |
Other Programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
| Program | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General | $258,152 | $41,000 |
| Systems Engineering | $227,052 | $44,052 |
| Computer Science | $225,141 | $11,077 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $214,070 | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $204,731 | $41,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $200,732 | $45,290 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $199,245 | — |
| Biology, General | $189,144 | — |
| Chemical Engineering | $184,436 | — |
| Mathematics | $174,951 | $9,751 |
View all 36 programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology →
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About the Data
Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard Field of Study file. Earnings are median earnings for graduates after completion, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid applicants. Institutional characteristics come from IPEDS. Debt figures represent the median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation.
Debt-to-earnings ratio compares cumulative debt to annual earnings. A ratio below 1.0 indicates that annual earnings exceed total debt, generally considered favorable. Estimated monthly payments assume a standard 10-year repayment plan.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.