CollegeCostWise

Master's · New York, New York

Is Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University in the City of New York worth it?

Low confidence Low confidence: fewer than 40 graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 1.8 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating
$115,299
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating
$148,196
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation
$50,347
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Typical borrowing (no graduate net price is published)
$53k (likely $53k – $53k)
AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4
$79k a year vs bachelor's graduates 4 years out in NY
2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback
1.8 years (likely 1.2–2.6)
Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return
$539k (likely $288k – $821k)
Today's dollars
20-year net return
$1.51M (likely $917k – $2.11M)
Today's dollars

Change income, residency or loans Compare Mechanical Engineering at other schools

Scorecard reports no net price for graduate programs; cost is based on what graduates typically borrowed.

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