Engineering
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineers design and test everything that moves — engines, machines, HVAC, robotics. One of the broadest, most versatile engineering disciplines.
Median salary (BLS)
$96,000
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$65k – $140k
Job outlook
+10% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $99,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.
Plan a path to Mechanical Engineer
Education
Typical entry: Bachelor's degree
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateCost to qualify
$40,175–$150,500
Time to qualify
4.2 yr
Renewal
—
- 1
Bachelor's degree
DegreeFour years at public in-state rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $11,610/yr, plus books. Private and out-of-state run higher; grant aid lowers most students' actual net price.
$40,000–$150,000 · 4 years source
- 2
FE exam (optional — PE track)
CertificationThe Fundamentals of Engineering exam is the first step toward a PE license; many engineering roles never need it.
$175–$500 · 2 months source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Mechanical Engineer" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Mechanical Engineer Intern
Internship
$36,000
~4 mos to advance
Junior Mechanical Engineer
Entry / Junior
$65,000
~2 yrs to advance
Mechanical Engineer
Established
$96,000
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Senior
$118,000
Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.
Key skills
A typical day
- •Design mechanical systems
- •Build and test prototypes
- •Analyze performance
Fields of study
Mechanical Engineering
Top colleges for Engineering
Explore all- Massachusetts Institute of Technology4% admit · $124,000 grad pay
- Stanford University4% admit · $122,000 grad pay
- University of California, Berkeley11% admit · $97,000 grad pay
- Georgia Institute of Technology16% admit · $99,000 grad pay
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign45% admit · $80,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.