Mechanical Engineering at Central Michigan University

Central Michigan's mechanical engineering graduates earn about $10,000 less in their first year compared to the typical Michigan ME program, landing in the 40th percentile statewide. That gap persists even after four years—at $84,789, grads still trail the state median significantly. When nearly every Michigan engineering school outperforms CMU on earnings, including mid-tier options like Oakland and Wayne State, that's a pattern worth noticing. The 21% earnings growth is solid, but you're starting from a lower baseline than most Michigan alternatives.

The debt side offers better news: at $27,000, it's almost exactly the state average and remarkably low compared to national engineering programs (5th percentile). That translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio under 0.4, meaning graduates can reasonably tackle their loans on that first-year salary. CMU's 91% admission rate and modest test scores suggest it's serving students who might not have access to more selective programs, and for those students, this represents a legitimate path into engineering.

The bottom line: You're paying reasonable debt for below-average Michigan engineering earnings. If your child can gain admission to Michigan State, Oakland, or even Wayne State, those programs deliver stronger earning potential. But if CMU is the most realistic engineering option—and it will be for many students—the manageable debt keeps this from being a poor choice. Just understand you're accepting lower earnings in exchange for accessibility.