Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians at Brigham Young University-Idaho

BYU-Idaho delivers something increasingly rare: a bachelor's degree with minimal debt burden. While the $62,440 starting salary sits right at the national median for mechanical engineering technology programs, the $16,214 in student debt is remarkable—roughly 40% less than the national median of $27,000. That 0.26 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates could realistically pay off their loans in about four months of gross salary, making this one of the most financially accessible paths into technical manufacturing work.

The limited sample size here matters, since only two Idaho schools offer this program, but the fundamentals look solid for students prioritizing debt avoidance. The 60th percentile state ranking suggests BYU-Idaho holds its own locally, and the school's high admission rate (97%) makes it accessible to students who might not qualify for more selective engineering programs. Keep in mind that engineering technology roles typically focus more on practical application and manufacturing support than design work, so career growth may look different from traditional mechanical engineering.

For families concerned about student loan burdens—particularly those attending as LDS students who benefit from reduced tuition—this program offers a straightforward value proposition: market-rate technical skills at well-below-market debt levels.