Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Mechanical Engineering bachelor's degree outcomes at University of San Diego

San Diego, CA · Private nonprofit · Federal field 1419

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to the same-degree benchmark.

$287 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
28.4% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$72,120 / year
10-year scenario
+55% · Positive payoff
Price evidence
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.

What stays fixed$91,848 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+25%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$77,962$97,127
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
27Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
37Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
48Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$83,897Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
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.

150Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
30Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
74Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
92Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$36,082Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$91,848$55,766 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 49 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.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$30,365

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$26,093

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$91,848

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$277/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.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$30,365Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$78,720Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE52.4%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE83.7%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.

$77,962Year 1
$91,848Year 4
$97,127Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

3.6% 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$7,654
Estimated loan payment$277
48borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$91,848 vs. $92,135

$287 below the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
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$210,280 median wageCA estimate · 29,630 jobs · 11-9041+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAerospace Engineers$157,620 median wageCA estimate · 9,170 jobs · 17-2011+8.3% projected U.S. growth · 3.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$137,280 median wageCA estimate · 2,720 jobs · 25-1032+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeMechanical Engineers$130,900 median wageCA estimate · 30,530 jobs · 17-2141+11.2% projected U.S. growth · 17.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeCost Estimators$85,460 median wageCA estimate · 26,020 jobs · 13-1051-3.1% projected U.S. growth · 17.6k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

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.

Vallejo, CA

Cal Poly Maritime Academy

$34,547 higher earnings · $6,403 less debt · $9,810 lower annual net price

Earnings
$126,395
Debt
$19,690
Annual net price
$20,555
View outcomes →
Berkeley, CA

University of California, Berkeley

$27,523 higher earnings · $12,893 less debt · $16,884 lower annual net price

Earnings
$119,371
Debt
$13,200
Annual net price
$13,481
View outcomes →
Los Angeles, CA

University of California, Los Angeles

$17,027 higher earnings · $9,093 less debt · $17,817 lower annual net price

Earnings
$108,875
Debt
$17,000
Annual net price
$12,548
View outcomes →
San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

$14,902 higher earnings · $5,593 less debt · $13,700 lower annual net price

Earnings
$106,750
Debt
$20,500
Annual net price
$16,665
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

37 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

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 →