Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY · Bachelor's Degree · about 162 graduates a year
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute graduates in mechanical engineering earn 1% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 26% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 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 |
| … | |||||
| 129 | Baylor University Waco, TX | $92,990 | $94,544 | #122 | $75,726 |
| 130 | Southern University and A & M College Baton Rouge, LA | $92,969 | $107,619 | #20 | $75,001 |
| 131 | Southern University Law Center Baton Rouge, LA | $92,969 | $107,619 | #21 | $75,001 |
| 132 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY | $92,952 | $88,471 | #223 | $73,833 |
| 133 | Manhattan College Riverdale, NY | $92,802 | $88,328 | #227 | $70,841 |
| 134 | Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, FL | $92,753 | $98,724 | #80 | $69,533 |
| 135 | University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI | $92,555 | $84,214 | #280 | $53,182 |
Other Mechanical Engineering Credentials at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
| Credential | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $85,723 | $107,173 | — |
Other Majors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $141,528 | $104,943 | #42 of 349 |
| Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $125,531 | $94,722 | #1 of 27 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $115,100 | $85,172 | #65 of 459 |
| Mathematics | $105,768 | $80,196 | #20 of 309 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $104,596 | $83,412 | #66 of 258 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $103,306 | $74,427 | #18 of 118 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $99,713 | $47,925 | #30 of 1176 |
| Chemical Engineering | $98,679 | $78,263 | #61 of 158 |
| Industrial Engineering | $98,509 | $74,787 | #45 of 94 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $94,750 | $73,213 | #35 of 59 |
| Design and Applied Arts | $87,358 | $36,191 | #6 of 299 |
| Nuclear Engineering | $87,239 | $77,014 | #12 of 12 |
| Civil Engineering | $86,794 | $71,790 | #99 of 233 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $83,958 | — | #10 of 207 |
| Materials Engineering | $82,947 | $66,927 | #32 of 34 |
| Physics | $81,840 | $60,348 | #43 of 107 |
| Architecture | $75,551 | $54,334 | #11 of 78 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute mechanical engineering graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $73,833 one year after graduating and $92,952 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rank for mechanical engineering?
Among 318 colleges reporting earnings for mechanical engineering graduates, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks #132 by median pay four years after graduation, and #223 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is mechanical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute worth it?
Its graduates earn 1% more than the national median for mechanical engineering ($92,135), and the median federal debt at graduation is $24,121.
← All data for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · 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.