College Scorecard program reportCIP 14.19 · UNITID 147703

Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's Degree · Dekalb, IL

At Northern Illinois University, the Mechanical Engineering bachelor's degree program reported $86,999 median earnings four years after completion and $25,000 median federal debt among 198 working graduates.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 releaseDownload source data ↗

Median earnings$86,999Working graduates four years after completion

Median federal debt$25,000Stafford and Grad PLUS debt for the program cohort

Working graduates198Four-year earnings cohort

Peer records187Same field and credential passing the evidence rule

01 · Published outcomes

How much do Mechanical Engineering graduates at Northern Illinois University earn and borrow?

Four-year median earnings were $86,999, five-year median earnings were $86,692, and median federal debt was $25,000 for the published program cohorts.

Median earnings four years after completion$86,999

Median earnings five years after completion$86,692

Earnings cover graduates who were working and not enrolled. Median debt uses a separate federal borrower cohort and is not a yearly payment.

02 · Same-field context

How does Northern Illinois University’s Mechanical Engineering program compare?

Among 187 published bachelor's degree records in this field, earnings ranked at the 14th percentile and debt was lower than about 38% of peers.

Four-year earnings percentile14th

Higher earnings than about 14% of published same-field, same-credential records.

Debt position38%

Lower median debt than about 38% of published same-field, same-credential records.

Percentiles describe this published peer group; they are not a rating of instruction, selectivity, or individual outcomes.

03 · Comparison records

Which colleges publish Mechanical Engineering for the same credential?

The comparison group contains 187 institution-program records with the same field and credential, at least 75 working graduates, and published earnings and debt.

Open the national Mechanical Engineering field report →

04 · Institution context

Where can I find Northern Illinois University cost and completion data?

The Northern Illinois University institution report publishes school-level net price, completion, retention, undergraduate aid, and debt; those measures use cohorts separate from this program’s earnings and debt cohorts.

Northern Illinois University

Dekalb, Illinois · Public

Open the institution report →

Answers at a glance

Mechanical Engineering at Northern Illinois University: frequently asked questions

The program FAQ reports $86,999 four-year median earnings, $25,000 median federal debt, 198 working graduates, and 187 same-field peer records.

How much do graduates of this Mechanical Engineering program earn?

Median earnings were $86,999 four years after completion and $86,692 five years after completion for working graduates who were not enrolled.

What is the median federal debt for this Mechanical Engineering program?

The published median federal debt was $25,000 across a reported debt cohort of 177 borrowers.

How is the peer group selected?

Peers share CIP field 14.19 and the Bachelor's Degree credential level, have at least 75 working graduates, and have published earnings and debt medians.