by our College Data Analytics TeamDo you love learning how things work? A major in Engineering Mechanics will prepare you for a career where you can design, analyze and build structures and machines. Students will study physics to apply Newton's laws of motion to real-life scenarios. You will know the effects of forces and torques on particles and rigid bodies and use these concepts to analyze safety, stability, and design. Through your studies you will learn the mechanics of motion and the strength of different materials. With this degree you will be able to research, design, develop, test, and manufacture different products.
In this major you will take advanced mathematics courses like calculus and statistics courses along with basic computer courses. You will also take courses in physics, thermodynamics, kinetics, chemistry, quantum mechanics, and fluid mechanics.
There are very limited number of schools who offer this major, so if this interests you make sure the schools you look at will allow you to graduate with a degree in engineering mechanics.
A major in Engineering Mechanics covers Engineering Mechanics. Read on to learn the important information every engineering mechanics student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering engineering mechanics programs.
In the U.S., engineering mechanics is a popular field of study, with 190 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Engineering Mechanics Schools ranking analyzes these 18 schools to determine the best overall colleges for engineering mechanics students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of engineering mechanics programs later in this article.
Studies in Engineering Mechanics build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations engineering mechanics graduates commonly enter.
This is not an easy major. You should be ready to spend long hours in the lab working. Dedicating many hours to finding more efficient methods of solving problems should be something that excites you. Making things work better, more efficiently, quickly and less expensively will be part of your job.
As an engineering mechanic student, you will be asked to work hard in order to get background in engineering and then you will apply your knowledge in the real-world. You will learn how to apply methods and formulas to actual experiences. Many schools will require an internship or a co-op program so that you are able to get hands-on experience in this field. A co-op program is alternating semester of work and school. This is so that you can prepare yourself for a professional career.
Skills emphasized by a engineering mechanics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a engineering mechanics major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several engineering mechanics degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 67 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 66 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 53 |
People currently working in careers related to engineering mechanics tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 34.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 27.0% |
| Master’s degree | 13.0% |
| Post-doctoral training | 7.0% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 6.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.1% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 3.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.4% |
| Some college courses | 1.6% |
| First professional degree | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.6% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in engineering mechanics careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
With a degree in engineering mechanics, you can go into many different areas. Depending on your interests you may work in transportation, power generation, energy conversion, environmental control, or biomechanics and you will be prepared to work in a number of functional areas. This is degree is applicable to wide range of needs and is one of the broadest engineering disciplines.
Majoring in engineering mechanics prepares you for a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to engineering mechanics.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to engineering mechanics.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Nanosystems Engineers | 358,781 | -2.9% |
| Wind Energy Engineers | 353,305 | 12.7% |
| Engineers, All Other | 292,948 | -4.3% |
| Automotive Engineers | 266,832 | 6.0% |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | 266,797 | 14.5% |
| Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar | 227,778 | 6.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of engineering mechanics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $76,585 |
| 4 years | $84,662 |
| 5 years | $95,412 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for engineering mechanics graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers engineering mechanics grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Fuel Cell Engineers | $137,020 |
| Engineers, All Other | $136,628 |
| Solar Energy Systems Engineers | $116,775 |
| Mechatronics Engineers | $115,569 |
| Automotive Engineers | $107,733 |
| Microsystems Engineers | $104,558 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Wind Energy Engineers | $98,460 |
With 18 different engineering mechanics programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased engineering mechanics school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in engineering mechanics, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Engineering Mechanics | 190 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 42,939 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 26,760 |
| Civil Engineering | 20,005 |
| Computer Engineering | 19,986 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 13,914 |
| Engineering, General | 13,411 |
| Chemical Engineering | 10,939 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 9,596 |
| Industrial Engineering | 8,533 |
| Systems Engineering | 3,956 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
