Home›Majors›Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians

MASTER'S DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1508

Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians: is this master's degree worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$114,566 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.

$114,566Median year-4 earnings

$19,382Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

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

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$114,566Median reported earnings · year 4

$109,839Average reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

80thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

2With 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.

OPEN PROFILE

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 →CURRENT VIEW

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$99,729National median$114,56675th percentile$99,729

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Northwestern University$129,403 2American Public University System$99,729

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	Northwestern UniversityMaster's Degree	Evanston, IL	$129,403	Not available	Baseline needed	$29,167
2	American Public University SystemMaster's Degree	Charles Town, WV	$99,729	Not available	Baseline needed	$9,597

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.