Mechanical Engineering at Wilkes University

Wilkes University's mechanical engineering graduates start at $63,062—about $8,900 below Pennsylvania's median for this major and nearly $8,000 below the national benchmark. That 11th percentile national ranking is stark, though the picture improves slightly within Pennsylvania, where the program lands at the 40th percentile. For context, top engineering schools in the state like Villanova and Bucknell place graduates earning $17,000-$26,000 more right out of the gate.

The program does keep debt reasonable at $27,000, creating a manageable 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio that beats most mechanical engineering programs nationally. Earnings do grow 16% to $73,078 by year four, which closes some of the gap with higher-performing programs. Still, that fourth-year figure remains below what many comparable programs achieve in year one.

For families prioritizing affordability and debt management, this program delivers on keeping costs in check. But if maximizing engineering salary potential matters—and it often does for students taking on STEM coursework—stronger options exist both within Pennsylvania and nationally at similar price points. The high acceptance rate and modest SAT scores suggest less competitive admissions, which may appeal to some students, but the earnings data indicates that choice comes with a measurable long-term cost.