by our College Data Analytics Team
[Me Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The schools below stand out for the salaries their me mechanical engineering graduates go on to command.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their me mechanical engineering graduates.
What’s on this page:
The right me mechanical engineering school can pay off in your paycheck for years to come. That is why we developed our Highest Paid Me Mechanical Engineering Graduates ranking. It looks at the median early-career salaries graduates earn, so you can find the schools whose me mechanical engineering degrees pay off the most.
Learn more about our methodology
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Me Mechanical Engineering Graduates list, to help you choose. Want schools in a particular part of the country? Narrow the list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we have developed a unique tool called College Combat that lets you compare schools on the factors that matter most to you.
Read more about College Factual’s methodology
If you want to know which schools send me mechanical engineering graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is San Jose State University, our #1 for me mechanical engineering graduate salaries in the United States. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a public institution. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $112,360.
Duke University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Durham, Duke University is a private not-for-profit institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Duke University earn a median of about $125,085 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #3 makes California Maritime Academy one of the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. California Maritime Academy is a public school located in the city of Vallejo. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of California Maritime Academy earn a median of about $114,735 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #4 makes Massachusetts Institute Of Technology one of the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Massachusetts Institute Of Technology is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Cambridge. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Massachusetts Institute Of Technology typically earn about $141,346 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of California Berkeley earned it the #5 place for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a public institution. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $123,604.
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Olin College ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Olin College is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Needham. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $106,657.
Santa Clara University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Located in the city of Santa Clara, Santa Clara University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Santa Clara University make a median of around $125,650 per year.
Suny Maritime College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Suny Maritime College is a public school located in the city of Throggs Neck. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $114,377.
Rice University earned the #9 position for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Rice University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Houston. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $105,734.
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Set in the suburb of San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo is a public institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo earn a median of about $111,273 a year early in their careers.
Johns Hopkins University earned the #11 position for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Johns Hopkins University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $125,603.
University Of Notre Dame ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. University Of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Notre Dame. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Notre Dame earn a median of about $95,893 a year early in their careers.
University Of California Santa Barbara ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Santa Barbara, University Of California Santa Barbara is a public institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from University Of California Santa Barbara make a median of around $100,669 per year.
University Of Southern California came in at #14 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. University Of Southern California is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from University Of Southern California make a median of around $117,380 per year.
Kettering University earned the #15 position for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Flint, Kettering University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $102,774.
University Of The Pacific earned the #16 position for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Stockton, University Of The Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from University Of The Pacific typically earn about $105,548 annually.
University Of California Los Angeles placed #17 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a public institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of about $122,183 a year early in their careers.
Michigan State University placed #18 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State University is a public institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Michigan State University typically earn about $99,381 annually.
Bucknell University came in at #19 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Bucknell University is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Lewisburg. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of Bucknell University earn a median of about $99,777 a year early in their careers.
George Washington University placed #20 among the highest-paying schools for me mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a private not-for-profit institution. Me Mechanical Engineering graduates of George Washington University earn a median of about $94,843 a year early in their careers.
Vanderbilt University ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Vanderbilt University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Nashville. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Vanderbilt University typically earn about $101,152 annually.
Cornell University ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Ithaca, Cornell University is a private not-for-profit institution. Students who complete the me mechanical engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $116,022.
Oakland University came in at #23 for me mechanical engineering graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Rochester Hills, Oakland University is a public institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Oakland University make a median of around $105,046 per year.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College ranked #24 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying me mechanical engineering schools. Located in the city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a public institution. After graduating, me mechanical engineering degree recipients from Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College typically earn about $104,396 annually.
Stanford University landed the #25 spot for me mechanical engineering salaries this year. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career me mechanical engineering graduates from Stanford University make a median of around $155,904 per year.
These schools also send me mechanical engineering graduates into strong-paying careers this year:
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These schools earned honorable mentions for me mechanical engineering graduate pay:
| Rank | College | Location | Avg Salary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #51 | Texas A And M University College Station | College Station, TX | $101,116 | Full Report |
| #52 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University | Blacksburg, VA | $100,680 | Full Report |
| #53 | San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA | $99,619 | Full Report |
| #54 | University Of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | $95,672 | Full Report |
| #55 | University Of Wisconsin Madison | Madison, WI | $103,442 | Full Report |
| #56 | Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | $92,158 | Full Report |
| #57 | University Of Portland | Portland, OR | $91,884 | Full Report |
| #58 | Arizona State University Skysong | Scottsdale, AZ | $94,295 | Full Report |
| #59 | University Of California Davis | Davis, CA | $103,368 | Full Report |
| #60 | Catholic University Of America | Washington, DC | $92,376 | Full Report |
| #61 | Lamar University | Beaumont, TX | $104,395 | Full Report |
| #62 | Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | $93,145 | Full Report |
| #63 | West Texas A And M University | Canyon, TX | $89,635 | Full Report |
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their me mechanical engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
