Mechanical Engineering Technologies at Piedmont Technical College
SC · Associate's Degree · CIP 15.08
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mechanical Engineering Technologies degree from Piedmont Technical College earn a median salary of $78,529 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in SC, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $82,488. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.7 years.
Quick Insights
How this degree looks at a glance
A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.
Salary Ranges
Starting Range
$58,998
Typical Career
$78,529
Top Performers
$96,310
Estimated break-even: 5.7 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$524
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,544. Most students can comfortably afford about a $524 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in South Carolina buys what costs $0.95 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Public Administration.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.
5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent
$82,488
Nominal: $78,529 in South Carolina (COL 95.2% of national avg) · 5% higher purchasing power
10-Year Earnings Curve
Break-Even Timeline
How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).
Total Investment
$155,168
4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost
HS Graduate Baseline
$38,792/yr
BLS 2023 median, HS diploma
View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
| Timeframe | 25th Pct. | Median (50th) | 75th Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year After Graduation | $34,351 | $49,731 | $69,779 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $58,998 | $78,529 | $96,310 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $48,943 | $72,585 | $90,933 |
Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).
How We Calculate Purchasing Power
The median salary of $78,529 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in SC, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.2% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $78,529 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9520)
= $82,488 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sectors, with 55.5% of them finding employment in this field. The high concentration of graduates in Health Care & Social Assistance suggests a robust demand for skills in this area. The estimated break-even point for this educational path compared to a high-school-only route is approximately 5.7 years, indicating a reasonable return on investment for those pursuing this degree. Overall, the data suggests that a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technologies can provide a solid financial foundation and career opportunities in a growing industry.
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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.