[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/) # Best Mechanical Engineering Programs in Minnesota (2026) Updated September 30, 2026 Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in Minnesota](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-minnesota/) This page ranks the 5 Mechanical Engineering programs in Minnesota by the median earnings of Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing. University of St Thomas ranks 1st with median earnings of $91,683 for its graduates four years after completing. Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $91,683 to $85,286, with a median of $88,965. The list includes 4 public institutions and 1 private nonprofit institution, an 80% public share. Saint Cloud State University posts the lowest average net price at $13,529. [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/) ranks 107th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. ## The ranked list 5 schools in list order | Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | University of St Thomas · Saint Paul, MN | $91,683 | $29,155 | $28,131 | 85.4% | | | University of St Thomas, a private nonprofit university in Saint Paul, reports median earnings of $91,683 for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 80 graduates in the earnings cohort. | | 2 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities · Minneapolis, MN | $90,061 | $16,778 | $6,642 | 79.8% | | | Median federal debt among Mechanical Engineering completers who borrowed is $17,132 at [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/majors/), which ranks 2nd on this list and [admits 80% of applicants](/school/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/admissions/). | | 3 | University of Minnesota-Duluth · Duluth, MN | $88,965 | $18,743 | $7,256 | 88.8% | | | With an [average net price of $18,743,](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/cost/) [University of Minnesota-Duluth](/school/university-of-minnesota-duluth/majors/) shows median earnings of $88,965 for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | | 4 | Saint Cloud State University · Saint Cloud, MN | $87,503 | $13,529 | $8,909 | 94.8% | | | [Saint Cloud State University](/school/saint-cloud-state-university/majors/) [admits 95% of applicants](/school/saint-cloud-state-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $87,503 for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing, from a cohort of 34. | | 5 | Minnesota State University-Mankato · Mankato, MN | $85,286 | $19,139 | $12,339 | 88.4% | | | [Minnesota State University-Mankato](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/majors/) ranks 5th on this list, with [median federal debt of $23,562](/school/minnesota-state-university-mankato/cost/) among Mechanical Engineering completers who borrowed and an average net price of $19,139. | ## How this list is ordered Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Minnesota appear. The figure covers federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the five schools with a published figure. University of St Thomas leads with $91,683, and the gap to second-ranked University of Minnesota-Twin Cities is $1,622. ## Job market context in Minnesota The occupations linked to Mechanical Engineering in Minnesota include roles such as Mechanical Engineers, Cost Estimators, and related technical positions. The median annual wage across those occupations is $90,659, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $74,212. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 2.0% higher, with 940 projected openings a year, or about 198 openings a year for every hundred graduates, suggesting more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses the median earnings of graduates four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures that describe the broader labor market. ## Related rankings - [Mechanical Engineering Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-mechanical-engineering-programs/) - [Best Colleges in Minnesota](/rankings/best-colleges-in-minnesota/) - [Best Mechanical Engineering Programs in Texas](/rankings/best-mechanical-engineering-programs-in-texas/) - [Best Mechanical Engineering Programs in California](/rankings/best-mechanical-engineering-programs-in-california/) - [Best Mechanical Engineering Programs in Ohio](/rankings/best-mechanical-engineering-programs-in-ohio/) - [Best Mechanical Engineering Programs in Florida](/rankings/best-mechanical-engineering-programs-in-florida/) - [Best Engineering Colleges in Minnesota](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-minnesota/)