COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES
Mechanical Engineering bachelor's degree at University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · 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.
$839 below the national median for the same field and degree level.
- Debt as a share of earnings
- 27.4% of annual earnings
- Highest price with a positive payoff
- $70,740 / year
- Modeled 10-year payoff
- +71% · 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+$282,960
$20,000Annual price+$202,960
$23,000Current college-wide context+$190,960
$40,000Annual price+$122,960
$60,000Annual price+$42,960
$80,000Annual price−$37,040
$100,000Annual price−$117,040
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$32,989Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$91,296$58,307 above the preliminary benchmark
Additional borrowing reported for this category: 56 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$22,811
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$91,296
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.
Enter my price →AVERAGE NET PRICE$22,811Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$31,638Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE60.2%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE78.8%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?
3.5% 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$7,608
Estimated loan payment$265
211borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
$91,296 vs. $92,135
$839 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$169,040 median wageSC estimate · 3,200 jobs · 11-9041$137,180–$208,070 middle 50% of SC wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAerospace Engineers$137,030 median wageSC estimate · 650 jobs · 17-2011$102,280–$160,620 middle 50% of SC wages+8.3% projected U.S. growth · 3,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeMechanical Engineers$104,580 median wageSC estimate · 5,780 jobs · 17-2141$84,810–$133,480 middle 50% of SC wages+11.2% projected U.S. growth · 17,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$103,420 median wageSC estimate · 490 jobs · 25-1032$81,730–$132,980 middle 50% of SC wages+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeCost Estimators$70,260 median wageSC estimate · 2,880 jobs · 13-1051$57,170–$92,830 middle 50% of SC 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
Public Administration
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.
Clemson University
$875 less debt · $558 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $91,028
- Debt
- $24,125
- Annual net price
- $22,253
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
$5,500 less debt · $2,088 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $83,912
- Debt
- $19,500
- Annual net price
- $20,723
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
$40,671 higher earnings · $13,666 less debt · $2,700 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $131,967
- Debt
- $11,334
- Annual net price
- $20,111
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
$35,099 higher earnings · $5,310 less debt · $2,256 lower annual net price
- Earnings
- $126,395
- Debt
- $19,690
- Annual net price
- $20,555
DATA QUALITY
Check the evidence behind the estimate.
135 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 →