Mechanical Engineering bachelor's degree at Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO · 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.
$4,952 above the national median for the same field and degree level.
Debt as a share of earnings
25.8% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
$85,218 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff
+77% · 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+$340,870
$20,000Annual price+$260,870
$29,000Current college-wide context+$224,870
$40,000Annual price+$180,870
$60,000Annual price+$100,870
$80,000Annual price+$20,870
$100,000Annual price−$59,130
OUTCOME SIGNALS
Graduate outcomes from several angles.
Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.
+27%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$74,145 → $93,871Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort115Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort185Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median324Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median$63,000Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credentialNot availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.
1,178Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment171Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers393Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count745Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
2.6%Federal-aid non-completion rate2022–23 program cohort · 25 non-completers185Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$39,174Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$97,087$57,913 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 236 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$28,690
Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.
02 · BORROWING$25,000
Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.
03 · EARNINGS$97,087
Observed median earnings four full years after completion.
04 · REPAYMENT$265/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.
Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.
$74,145Year 1
$97,087Year 4
$93,871Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?
3.3% 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$8,091
Estimated loan payment$265
324borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$97,087 vs. $92,135
$4,952 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$165,420–$225,100 middle 50% of CO wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAerospace Engineers$156,190 median wageCO estimate · 4,070 jobs · 17-2011$128,440–$180,310 middle 50% of CO wages+8.3% projected U.S. growth · 3,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMechanical Engineers$124,430 median wageCO estimate · 7,190 jobs · 17-2141$95,710–$149,790 middle 50% of CO wages+11.2% projected U.S. growth · 17,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$104,070 median wageCO estimate · 1,100 jobs · 25-1032$80,370–$136,070 middle 50% of CO wages+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeCost Estimators$86,940 median wageCO estimate · 6,100 jobs · 13-1051$73,400–$109,990 middle 50% of CO 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.
01
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
about 33.1%02
Manufacturing
about 21.2%03
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
about 14.9%04
Construction
about 5.9%05
Management of Companies and Enterprises
about 4.3%
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.