Mechanical Engineering at University of Scranton

Drawing from comparable mechanical engineering programs in Pennsylvania, Scranton's estimates suggest a manageable financial picture: roughly $26,000 in debt against first-year earnings around $72,000. That 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would owe about four months of their starting salary—a threshold that financial advisors generally consider sustainable. What makes these figures particularly useful is that they align closely with both state and national medians, suggesting this program likely delivers outcomes consistent with the broader mechanical engineering market.

The estimated earnings put Scranton in the middle of Pennsylvania's mechanical engineering landscape. Elite programs like Villanova and Carnegie Mellon produce graduates earning $77,000-$81,000 in their first year, but those schools come with different admission profiles and often steeper costs. For a school with an 84% admission rate and moderate selectivity, producing outcomes near the state median represents solid execution—engineering employers care more about ABET accreditation and technical competency than institutional prestige.

The key limitation here is uncertainty. These estimates come from peer programs because Scranton's graduate cohort was too small to report publicly. That could mean the program is emerging, selective about enrollment, or simply modest in size. For parents, the practical takeaway is this: if the estimates hold true, the financial fundamentals work—but you're investing based on what similar programs deliver, not what this specific program has demonstrably achieved. Ask the school directly about graduate outcomes and employer connections.