COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Mechanical Engineering bachelor's degree at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL · Public
What this page covers
Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.
The short version
Reported earnings are close to similar programs.
$2,546 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 29.4% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $66,473 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +75% · Positive payoff
- Available price data
- College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$265,890
$18,000Current college-wide context+$193,890
$19,000Current college-wide context+$189,890
$36,000Annual price+$121,890
$54,000Annual price+$49,890
$72,000Annual price−$22,110
$90,000Annual price−$94,110
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT
Size, aid and an earnings floor.
The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$30,927Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$89,589$58,662 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.
Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.
01 · PRICE CONTEXT$18,749
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$26,354
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$89,589
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$279/mo
Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.
WHAT WILL IT COST?
Published college costs provide the starting point.
Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$18,749Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$28,145Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE88.2%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE64.2%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?
Reported earnings after completion.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.7% of gross monthly earnings
Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.
Gross monthly earnings$7,466
Estimated loan payment$279
38borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$89,589 vs. $92,135
$2,546 below the national median for the same field and credential.
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?
Related occupations, wages and outlook.
Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.
BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.Architectural and Engineering Managers$162,350 median wageAL estimate · 3,790 jobs · 11-9041$131,290–$201,190 middle 50% of AL wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAerospace Engineers$127,540 median wageAL estimate · 5,820 jobs · 17-2011$98,190–$165,410 middle 50% of AL wages+8.3% projected U.S. growth · 3,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$103,580 median wageAL estimate · 650 jobs · 25-1032$78,650–$129,480 middle 50% of AL wages+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeMechanical Engineers$100,230 median wageAL estimate · 296,810 jobs · 17-2141$83,800–$128,100 middle 50% of AL wages+11.2% projected U.S. growth · 17,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCost Estimators$74,990 median wageAL estimate · 3,000 jobs · 13-1051$53,890–$92,970 middle 50% of AL wages-3.1% projected U.S. growth · 17,600 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS
Where graduates work five years later
The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.
Manufacturing
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Utilities
Health Care and Social Assistance
Construction
Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.
Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
$5,752 higher earnings · $1,457 less debt
- Earnings
- $95,341
- Debt
- $24,897
- Annual net price
- $18,796
The University of Alabama
$5,490 higher earnings · $1,599 less debt
- Earnings
- $95,079
- Debt
- $24,755
- Annual net price
- $22,420
Auburn University
$3,657 higher earnings · $1,840 less debt
- Earnings
- $93,246
- Debt
- $24,514
- Annual net price
- $24,323
Tuskegee University
$4,105 higher earnings
- Earnings
- $93,694
- Debt
- $30,500
- Annual net price
- $35,013
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
36 observations in the earnings cohort
June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release
Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page
Your price and current earnings determine the result.
Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.
Calculate my payoff →