Mechanical Engineering at Saint Martin's University

Saint Martin's mechanical engineering graduates enter the workforce earning about $70,000—roughly on par with the national median but notably above Washington's state median. More impressively, this program ranks in the 60th percentile among Washington's 11 mechanical engineering programs, meaning it outperforms most in-state competitors including Seattle University and UW-Tacoma. For a school with a 76% admission rate serving a substantial population of Pell grant recipients, these outcomes demonstrate solid value.

The debt picture is even more compelling. At $27,000, graduates carry slightly more than the national median but still maintain a healthy 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning debt equals just 39% of first-year salary. This is among the lowest debt loads nationally (5th percentile), which matters enormously for early-career financial flexibility. Earnings grow steadily to over $78,000 by year four, a 12% increase that suggests good career progression in the field.

The program sits comfortably in the middle of Washington's mechanical engineering landscape—not competing with WSU's top earnings, but delivering comparable outcomes to more selective private universities at a potentially lower cost of attendance. For Washington families looking at in-state mechanical engineering options, Saint Martin's offers competitive earnings with manageable debt, making it a practical choice that doesn't require betting on exceptional outcomes to pay off.