Bright outlook
Management
Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
Manufacturing Engineering
CIP14.36
43 colleges offer Manufacturing Engineering. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 43
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $88,842
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,580
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 15
- Associate's
- 6
- Bachelor's
- 38
- Master's
- 43
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 2
- Doctoral
- 6
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 15
What it covers
About Manufacturing Engineering
A program that prepares individuals to apply scientific and mathematical principles to the design, development, and implementation of manufacturing systems. Includes instruction in materials science and engineering, manufacturing processes, process engineering, assembly and product engineering, manufacturing systems design, and manufacturing competitiveness.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 14.36.
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 15 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Associate's | 6 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Bachelor's | 38 | $88,8424 yrs after · 14 colleges | $21,5808 colleges |
| Master's | 43 | $129,1514 yrs after · 3 colleges | Not reported |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Doctoral | 6 | Not reported | Not reported |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 15 | Not reported | Not reported |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Manufacturing Engineering graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
Northwestern University-Illinois
Evanston, IL · Private nonprofit · 16 graduates
$97,819
debt not reported
- 2
National University-California
La Jolla, CA · Private nonprofit · 11 graduates
$97,525
debt not reported
- 3
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA · Public · 29 graduates
$93,042
debt $15,000
- 4
Brigham Young University-Provo
Provo, UT · Private nonprofit · 39 graduates
$92,122
debt $7,500
- 5
Dunwoody College of Technology
Minneapolis, MN · Private nonprofit · 11 graduates
$90,176
debt not reported
- 6
San Marcos, TX · Public · 41 graduates
$88,995
debt $23,973
- 7
Peoria, IL · Private nonprofit · 15 graduates
$88,690
debt $27,000
- 8
Menomonie, WI · Public · 23 graduates
$87,431
debt $24,472
- 9
Arizona State University Campus Immersion
Tempe, AZ · Public · 15 graduates
$85,911
debt not reported
- 10
Corvallis, OR · Public · 98 graduates
$85,369
debt $19,823
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Manufacturing Engineering by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Management
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Median pay
- $171,270
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Judgment and Decision Making
Architecture and engineering
Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
Architecture and engineering
Engineers, All Other
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
Architecture and engineering
Mechatronics Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
Architecture and engineering
Microsystems Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
Architecture and engineering
Nanosystems Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Science
Architecture and engineering
Photonics Engineers
- Median pay
- $122,930
- Outlook
- As fast as average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
More in Engineering
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Engineering, General452 colleges
- Mechanical Engineering395 colleges
- Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering387 colleges
- Computer Engineering367 colleges
- Civil Engineering300 colleges
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering200 colleges
- Chemical Engineering182 colleges
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering130 colleges
Questions about Manufacturing Engineering
How many colleges offer Manufacturing Engineering?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Manufacturing Engineering at these degree levels: certificate (15 colleges), associate's (6 colleges), bachelor's (38 colleges), master's (43 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (2 colleges), doctoral (6 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (15 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Manufacturing Engineering graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Manufacturing Engineering earn $88,842 a year four years after finishing, across 14 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Manufacturing Engineering graduates earn the most?
Northwestern University-Illinois reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Manufacturing Engineering: $97,819 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.