Mechanical Engineering at Eastern Washington University

Eastern Washington University's mechanical engineering graduates start at $62,497—about $8,000 below the national median and $5,000 below Washington's state average. More concerning, this lands them in just the 5th percentile nationally, meaning 95% of mechanical engineering programs produce higher-earning graduates. Within Washington, they rank better at the 40th percentile, but that still means they're trailing most in-state alternatives, including all of the state's flagship programs. Even Washington State University, with a similar admission profile as a regional public, sees graduates earning $10,000 more right out of the gate.

The debt picture offers some relief at $26,038, which sits near national norms and only modestly above the state median. That translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42—manageable but not impressive given the relatively low starting salary. Earnings do grow 11% to about $69,500 by year four, bringing graduates closer to state averages, but this catch-up growth suggests they may be starting in less competitive positions than peers from other programs.

For families choosing between Washington engineering schools, this program represents the lower end of the earnings spectrum despite reasonable debt levels. If cost is the primary concern and your student has strong offers from Eastern Washington, the math works—but understand they'll likely be starting behind peers from UW, WSU, or even smaller privates like Gonzaga, with ground to make up early in their career.