Mechanical Engineering Placements in IITs and NITs: What the RTI Data Really Says

What Data Was Analysed

We connected the three stages of the student journey: approved intake for the 2021-22 batch, the number of students who registered for placements in 2024-25, and the final count of offers accepted in 2024-25. This helps students and parents evaluate an institute’s capacity to provide job opportunities based on intake, registration, and placement data.

Mechanical Engineering - IIT Data

The table highlights the mechanical engineering placements across the IITs given below. We have compared approved intake, students registered for placements, and offers accepted in 2024-25. The table also covers placement percentages and salary data wherever it was available.

After studying the table, students will be able to figure out which IITs offer greater placement chances and good salary outcomes.

Observation: IIT Kanpur, Roorkee, and Gandhinagar have registration numbers that are higher or close to the intake. This is an indication of strong confidence in campus placement. High participation often reflects a high confidence in placement support.

For intake-based placements, IIT Gandhinagar (94.74 per cent) and Roorkee (92 per cent) are the best options. Following them are IIT Kanpur (81.51 per cent) and Tirupati (76 per cent), which have better-than-average placement chances.

For registered students, IIT Bhubaneshwar, Palakkad, Goa and Tirupati have more than 92 per cent placement. What this signifies is that students of these campuses who sit for placements have high chances of getting placed.

As far as salary is concerned, IIT Dhanbad leads the pack with the highest salary of Rs. 51.03 LPA followed by IIT Tirupati (Rs. 38.85 LPA) and IIT Palakkad (Rs. 36 LPA). These campuses have a strong top-end earning potential.

IIT Kanpur, Tirupti, Dhanbad and Jodhpur have decent average salaries. These institutes are ideal for students who are looking for steady earning potential.

IITs like Jodhpur and newer IITs like Ropar and Dhanbad, the intake-based placement is below 65 per cent. What this means is that these IITs can deliver good individual results but the overall stability is weaker.

Mechanical Engineering - NIT Data

The table below showcases the placement performance of a select few NITs. We have taken into consideration the 2021-22 intake, registered with placement results from 2024-25. The table also highlights the maximum and average CTC data to help students and parents give a clear idea regarding placements and salary potential across these NITs.

Observation: In most of the NITs, fewer students register for placements than the approved intake; the reason is that students opt for higher studies or choose an alternate path. Due to this, the placement of registered students gives a clear picture.

NIT Hamirpur (99.04 per cent) and Nagpur (95.12 per cent) have high placement among registered students. Students sitting for placements in these NITs have a higher chance of getting a strong placement.

On the other hand, NIT Rourkela, MNIT Jaipur and NIT Calicut show a good balance. These NITs have intake-based placement of over 75 per cent and between 80-88 per cent among registered students.

NIT Hamirpur, although it has the highest CTC of over two crores, but its average CTC is below Rs. 10 LPA, showcasing a lack of consistency in the packages. NIT Meghalaya nd NIT Rourkela, although they have a lower max CTCs, have a better average at Rs. 12.93 LPA and 11.56 LPA respectively. This indicates more stable salary outcomes.

Overall Numbers

The following table shows the sanctioned intake, placement participation, salary trends, and other key metrics across the IITs and NITs that have been mentioned in the tables above.

Mechanical Engineering Vs Computer Science Engineering

If we compare Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, there is a significant gap in the outcomes. If we do the comparison based on an intake basis, CSE has about 81 per cent placement. When it comes to mechanical engineering, the placement percentage drops to around 73 per cent. The average salary, too, has a significant difference. CSE averages around Rs. 20.35 LPA and Mechanical is around Rs. 12.29 LPA.

Mechanical Engineering is not a Weak branch but if we compare it with CSE is is behind CSE in salary. So a student must choose the branch with realistic expectations.

Core vs Non-Core and ROI Thinking

Mechanical Engineering careers fall into two categories, core and non-core roles. Manufacturing, automotive, energy, aerospace and PSUs form core roles and start with modest salaries. IT, analytics, consulting, finance, and management come under non-core roles and have higher starting salaries.

High packages in Mechanical Engineering come from non-core or mixed profiles. What this indicates is that salary outcomes depend more on the role than on the branch itself.

When we talk about ROI, it is significantly dependent on the institute rather than the branch. Top IITs and NITs have a better allure for recruiters, resulting in better salary outcomes.

New IITs and NITs might show a decent placement percentage, but the financial returns may not be up to expectations. Students should also look at salary data, not just the placement rates.

What Aspirants and Parents Should Remember

The mechanical engineering branch shows solid placement rates at traditionally established campuses. Salaries also depend on the institute. Opting for the right institute is as important as choosing the right branch. Roles in manufacturing, energy and PSUs may grow slowly initially, but offer stability and reward over time.

Students should choose mechanical engineering only when the institute, exposure and long-term scope justify the ROI, not just because the branch feels safe or traditional.