Mechanical Engineering at Gonzaga University

Gonzaga's mechanical engineering program sits right at the national median for earnings but punches above its weight within Washington state, placing at the 60th percentile among the state's 11 programs. That ranking matters because most families will be comparing in-state options, and at $70,819 in starting salary, Gonzaga graduates earn more than those from Seattle University and UW-Tacoma while maintaining reasonable debt levels. The $23,664 median debt translates to a 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio—low enough that loan payments should consume less than 10% of gross income, leaving room for other financial goals.

The earnings trajectory tells a straightforward story: graduates see steady growth from $70,819 to $79,368 over four years, a 12% increase that suggests employers value the Gonzaga credential. While the program doesn't crack Washington's top tier (Washington State leads at $72,690), the gap isn't dramatic enough to justify significant additional expense unless you have other compelling reasons to choose those schools.

For families weighing Gonzaga against other Washington engineering programs, this represents solid middle-ground value—competitive outcomes without the debt burden sometimes associated with private institutions. The moderate sample size means individual outcomes will vary, but the fundamentals here are sound: manageable debt, earnings that grow over time, and positioning in the upper half of state competitors.