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UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE OR DIPLOMA · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1508

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?

National picture across 12 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$57,798 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$57,798Median year-4 earnings

$12,111Average institution net-price context

$11,250Median federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$57,798Median reported earnings · year 4

$55,396Average reported earnings · year 5

$11,250Median federal debt

65thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

12Reporting programs

12With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

CURRENT VIEW

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $57,798
Federal debt: $11,250
Reporting programs: 12

12 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $66,606
Federal debt: $16,944
Reporting programs: 42

41 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $81,765
Federal debt: $27,000
Reporting programs: 63

61 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $114,566
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$44,982National median$57,79875th percentile$66,662

12 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Ferris State University$82,512 2Los Angeles Trade Technical College$73,405 3Southwest Technology Center$69,613 4Tidewater Community College$66,662 5Middle Georgia State University$59,223 6Columbus State Community College$57,644 7Wake Technical Community College$55,780 8Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology$55,352 9Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology$44,982 10Crowder College$41,030

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Mechanical DraftersSOC 17-3013 · 3 crosswalk linksMechanical Engineering Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3027 · 3 crosswalk linksAutomotive Service Technicians and MechanicsSOC 49-3023 · 2 crosswalk linksEngineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All OtherSOC 17-3029 · 2 crosswalk linksAerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3021 · 1 crosswalk linksElectro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and TechniciansSOC 17-3024 · 1 crosswalk linksMotorboat Mechanics and Service TechniciansSOC 49-3051 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Ferris State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Big Rapids, MI	$82,512	$25,000	Baseline needed	$8,624
2	Los Angeles Trade Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Los Angeles, CA	$73,405	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,323
3	Southwest Technology CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Altus, OK	$69,613	Not available	Baseline needed	$14,313
4	Tidewater Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Norfolk, VA	$66,662	$11,250	Baseline needed	$11,762
5	Middle Georgia State UniversityUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Macon, GA	$59,223	Not available	Baseline needed	$12,361
6	Columbus State Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Columbus, OH	$57,644	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,400
7	Wake Technical Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Raleigh, NC	$55,780	Not available	Baseline needed	$8,759
8	Spartan College of Aeronautics and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Tulsa, OK	$55,352	$18,500	Baseline needed	$29,776
9	Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Wichita, KS	$44,982	$7,503	Baseline needed	$8,805
10	Crowder CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Neosho, MO	$41,030	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,023
11	New Community Career & Technical InstituteUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	Newark, NJ	$34,511	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,075
12	International Air and Hospitality AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma	,	$57,951	$7,600	Baseline needed	Not available

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.