Program Analysis
Graduates earn $68,260/yr, roughly in line with the $70,527 national median for Mechanical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 13.6x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 53% task exposure — and the 19% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $68,260 far exceeding the $29,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #170 out of 320 programs, Western Michigan University's financial outcomes for Mechanical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $68,260 to $91,489 shows 34% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.