Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University-Main Campus
West Lafayette, IN · Bachelor's Degree · about 478 graduates a year
Purdue University-Main Campus graduates in mechanical engineering earn 11% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 19% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Purdue University-Main Campus Compares for Mechanical Engineering
All 318 colleges reporting mechanical engineering earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | $131,967 | $116,211 | #3 | $83,957 |
| 2 | California State University Maritime Academy Vallejo, CA | $126,395 | $115,011 | #5 | $92,315 |
| 3 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | $122,111 | $111,113 | #10 | $81,865 |
| 4 | Duke University Durham, NC | $120,991 | $129,841 | #1 | $89,938 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $119,371 | $108,620 | #16 | $88,497 |
| 6 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | $117,072 | $106,528 | #28 | — |
| 7 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | $115,927 | $101,747 | #53 | $85,328 |
| 8 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | $114,492 | $116,439 | #2 | $66,876 |
| 9 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | $112,212 | $106,803 | #27 | $85,440 |
| 10 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | $111,491 | $106,116 | #32 | $72,036 |
| … | |||||
| 23 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | $104,229 | $94,842 | #118 | $69,555 |
| 24 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | $103,384 | $91,040 | #181 | $80,255 |
| 25 | Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology Flushing, NY | $103,254 | $98,276 | #82 | $74,472 |
| 26 | Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN | $102,572 | $110,041 | #14 | $80,374 |
| 27 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | $102,161 | $92,960 | #147 | $75,231 |
| 28 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $102,104 | $92,908 | #150 | $72,647 |
| 29 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | $102,078 | $93,890 | #133 | $66,947 |
Other Mechanical Engineering Credentials at Purdue University-Main Campus
| Credential | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $105,764 | $133,021 | — |
| Doctoral Degree | $119,547 | — | — |
Other Majors at Purdue University-Main Campus by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Purdue University-Main Campus mechanical engineering graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $80,374 one year after graduating and $102,572 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Purdue University-Main Campus rank for mechanical engineering?
Among 318 colleges reporting earnings for mechanical engineering graduates, Purdue University-Main Campus ranks #26 by median pay four years after graduation, and #14 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is mechanical engineering at Purdue University-Main Campus worth it?
Its graduates earn 11% more than the national median for mechanical engineering ($92,135), and the median federal debt at graduation is $19,500.
← All data for Purdue University-Main Campus · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.