Mechanical Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
IL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 14.19
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Mechanical Engineering degree from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn a median salary of $104,211 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $113,520. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.2 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
$87,230
Typical Career
$104,211
Top Performers
$124,787
Estimated break-even: 3.2 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$695
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $8,684. Most students can comfortably afford about a $695 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 2.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.3x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance.
Where Bachelor'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
$113,520
Nominal: $104,211 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% 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 | $68,626 | $81,599 | $93,152 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $87,230 | $104,211 | $124,787 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $111,228 | $134,508 | $173,701 |
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 $104,211 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $104,211 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180)
= $113,520 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The top industries for graduates include Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (24.2%), Educational Services (13.6%), and Health Care & Social Assistance (10.8%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 3.2 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree is favorable. This data suggests that the degree not only provides substantial initial earnings but also offers promising long-term financial benefits in various sectors.
Compare with Another School
See how the Mechanical Engineering degree at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
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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.