Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN · Bachelor's Degree · about 54 graduates a year
Vanderbilt University graduates in mechanical engineering earn 10% more than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 14% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Vanderbilt University 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 |
| … | |||||
| 30 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, WA | $102,078 | $93,890 | #134 | $66,947 |
| 31 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | $102,078 | $93,890 | #135 | $66,947 |
| 32 | Lafayette College Easton, PA | $101,348 | $103,072 | #42 | $72,481 |
| 33 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | $101,345 | $110,708 | #12 | $78,009 |
| 34 | George Washington University Washington, DC | $101,196 | $88,674 | #217 | $82,361 |
| 35 | Tufts University Medford, MA | $101,196 | $89,114 | #214 | $78,441 |
| 36 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ | $100,554 | $88,255 | #228 | $77,925 |
Other Majors at Vanderbilt University by Graduate Pay
| Major | 4 yrs after | 1 yr after | Rank in major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $160,021 | $122,244 | #23 of 349 |
| Mathematics | $141,171 | $103,812 | #5 of 309 |
| Economics | $140,337 | $84,311 | #11 of 368 |
| Chemical Engineering | $121,641 | $75,639 | #2 of 158 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $116,662 | $63,402 | #3 of 118 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $114,368 | $47,208 | #1 of 225 |
| Social Sciences | $103,229 | $61,389 | #1 of 87 |
| Political Science and Government | $102,789 | $46,843 | #3 of 565 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $91,265 | $57,023 | #6 of 34 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | $86,559 | $37,276 | #9 of 207 |
| Sociology | $83,649 | — | #3 of 462 |
| Civil Engineering | $82,744 | — | #150 of 233 |
| Engineering Science | — | $81,126 | — |
| Psychology | $71,584 | $36,716 | #22 of 1027 |
| History | $69,820 | $46,856 | #25 of 459 |
| English Language and Literature | $60,439 | $34,633 | #53 of 576 |
| Neurobiology and Neurosciences | $59,575 | $25,830 | #38 of 67 |
| Music | $59,217 | — | #10 of 268 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $55,188 | — | #97 of 680 |
| Cognitive Science | — | $38,752 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Vanderbilt University mechanical engineering graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $78,009 one year after graduating and $101,345 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Vanderbilt University rank for mechanical engineering?
Among 318 colleges reporting earnings for mechanical engineering graduates, Vanderbilt University ranks #33 by median pay four years after graduation, and #12 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is mechanical engineering at Vanderbilt University worth it?
Its graduates earn 10% more than the national median for mechanical engineering ($92,135), and the median federal debt at graduation is $14,000.
← All data for Vanderbilt University · 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.