Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA · Bachelor's Degree · about 96 graduates a year
Virginia Commonwealth University graduates in mechanical engineering earn 4% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 25% of one year’s pay at that point.
How Virginia Commonwealth 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 |
| … | |||||
| 225 | University of Hartford West Hartford, CT | $88,530 | $79,705 | #308 | $73,871 |
| 226 | University of Southern Maine Portland, ME | $88,515 | $94,068 | #130 | $68,318 |
| 227 | University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV | $88,460 | $91,811 | #168 | $61,977 |
| 228 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA | $88,410 | $80,505 | #302 | $73,355 |
| 229 | The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX | $88,393 | $89,870 | #202 | $62,393 |
| 230 | University of Georgia Athens, GA | $88,366 | $91,477 | #177 | $73,872 |
| 231 | Widener University Chester, PA | $88,358 | $89,861 | #203 | $65,515 |
Other Majors at Virginia Commonwealth University by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Virginia Commonwealth University mechanical engineering graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $73,355 one year after graduating and $88,410 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does Virginia Commonwealth University rank for mechanical engineering?
Among 318 colleges reporting earnings for mechanical engineering graduates, Virginia Commonwealth University ranks #228 by median pay four years after graduation, and #302 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is mechanical engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University worth it?
Its graduates earn 4% less than the national median for mechanical engineering ($92,135), and the median federal debt at graduation is $22,220.
← All data for Virginia Commonwealth 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.