Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Mechanical Engineering bachelor's degree outcomes at University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, CO · Public · 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.

$938 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
22.0% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$75,183 / year
10-year scenario
+71% · 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$93,073 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.

+39%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$66,089$91,715
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
83Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
141Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
184Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
$51,942Awarding-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.

698Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
120Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
277Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
382Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$39,174Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$93,073$53,899 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 71 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$25,346

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

02 · BORROWING$20,500

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$93,073

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$217/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$25,346Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$37,684Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE78.1%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE74.2%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.

$66,089Year 1
$93,073Year 4
$91,715Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

2.8% 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$7,756
Estimated loan payment$217
184borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$93,073 vs. $92,135

$938 above 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$183,810 median wageCO estimate · 4,900 jobs · 11-9041+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAerospace Engineers$156,190 median wageCO estimate · 4,070 jobs · 17-2011+8.3% projected U.S. growth · 3.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMechanical Engineers$124,430 median wageCO estimate · 7,190 jobs · 17-2141+11.2% projected U.S. growth · 17.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$104,070 median wageCO estimate · 1,100 jobs · 25-1032+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeCost Estimators$86,940 median wageCO estimate · 6,100 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.

Denver, CO

University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

$1,247 higher earnings · $13,446 lower annual net price

Earnings
$94,320
Debt
$30,907
Annual net price
$11,900
View outcomes →
Fort Collins, CO

Colorado State University-Fort Collins

$1,187 higher earnings · $4,067 lower annual net price

Earnings
$94,260
Debt
$26,184
Annual net price
$21,279
View outcomes →
Golden, CO

Colorado School of Mines

$4,014 higher earnings

Earnings
$97,087
Debt
$25,000
Annual net price
$28,690
View outcomes →
Colorado Springs, CO

University of Colorado Colorado Springs

$9,558 lower annual net price

Earnings
$91,192
Debt
$23,250
Annual net price
$15,788
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

141 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 →