Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 15.08. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 500 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 150 | 1,800 | $52,323 | $54,024 | $10,110 6 programs |
| Associate's degree | 228 | 1,616 | $56,437 | $64,773 | $12,250 11 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 105 | 2,458 | $70,230 | $82,073 | $24,868 52 programs |
| Master's degree | 9 | 118 | $90,454 | $117,775 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 1 | 0 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 7 | 4 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College CA · Public · 27 graduates measured | $103,784 | $73,405 | $8,221 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College OH · Public · 20 graduates measured | $62,716 | Data unavailable | $16,000 |
| Tidewater Community College VA · Public · 89 graduates measured | $58,675 | $66,662 | $12,112 |
| International Air and Hospitality Academy · Private, for-profit · 223 graduates measured | $51,679 | $57,951 | $7,600 |
| New Community Career & Technical Institute NJ · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $32,454 | $34,511 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owens Community College OH · Public · 33 graduates measured | $72,047 | $78,999 | Data unavailable |
| Ivy Tech Community College IN · Public · 18 graduates measured | $68,083 | $79,780 | Data unavailable |
| Eastern Florida State College FL · Public · 22 graduates measured | $67,393 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Akron Main Campus OH · Public · 21 graduates measured | $64,923 | $74,957 | $19,500 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College OH · Public · 32 graduates measured | $63,365 | $74,855 | $18,893 |
| Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology OK · Public · 71 graduates measured | $62,331 | $58,105 | $11,000 |
| ECPI University VA · Private, for-profit · 36 graduates measured | $60,537 | Data unavailable | $28,222 |
| Columbus State Community College OH · Public · 35 graduates measured | $60,273 | $67,973 | $12,250 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College PA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $58,264 | $57,997 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona PA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $58,264 | $57,997 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBois PA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $58,264 | $57,997 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $58,264 | $57,997 | Data unavailable |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York PA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $58,264 | $57,997 | Data unavailable |
| Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City MO · Public · 16 graduates measured | $58,142 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Springfield Technical Community College MA · Public · 33 graduates measured | $55,798 | $71,319 | $11,968 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach FL · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $99,808 | Data unavailable | $23,955 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide FL · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $99,808 | Data unavailable | $23,955 |
| Cal Poly Maritime Academy CA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $97,197 | $126,209 | $26,935 |
| Art Center College of Design CA · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $88,147 | $90,188 | $57,470 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station TX · Public · 36 graduates measured | $82,795 | Data unavailable | $21,250 |
| Indiana State University IN · Public · 81 graduates measured | $80,259 | $79,527 | $23,000 |
| ECPI University VA · Private, for-profit · 36 graduates measured | $79,692 | Data unavailable | $44,416 |
| Eastern Michigan University MI · Public · 19 graduates measured | $78,101 | $79,829 | Data unavailable |
| Western New England University MA · Private, nonprofit · 78 graduates measured | $77,708 | $89,642 | $26,000 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology NY · Private, nonprofit · 133 graduates measured | $77,691 | $86,226 | $27,000 |
| Central Connecticut State University CT · Public · 30 graduates measured | $77,570 | $90,472 | $29,125 |
| Kennesaw State University GA · Public · 69 graduates measured | $74,622 | $83,083 | $25,781 |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver CO · Public · 46 graduates measured | $73,430 | $98,267 | $26,640 |
| University of Dayton OH · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $72,978 | $80,475 | $24,987 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis IN · Public · 66 graduates measured | $72,909 | $85,533 | $22,250 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Public University System WV · Private, for-profit · 51 graduates measured | $82,314 | $99,729 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical drafters | $71,550 | -6.0% | Associate's degree |
| Aerospace engineering and operations technologists and technicians | $82,890 | +11.9% | Associate's degree |
| Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians | $73,900 | +2.6% | Associate's degree |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | $74,510 | +1.3% | Associate's degree |
| Engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other | $78,350 | +2.8% | Associate's degree |
| Automotive service technicians and mechanics | $50,620 | +5.0% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Motorboat mechanics and service technicians | $57,550 | +4.9% | High school diploma or equivalent |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (6)
- 15.0801 Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.0803 Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.0805 Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.0806 Marine Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.0807 Motorsports Engineering Technology/Technician
- 15.0899 Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other