by our College Data Analytics TeamMechanical engineers help develop, build, and improve machines. In this major, you learn how machines work and about the energy needed to make them run. Mechanical Engineers are the people responsible for imagining and building machine tools, manufacturing equipment, vehicles and more. You will learn what makes planes fly and the physics that is involved in roller coasters. This major will allow you to discover the secrets behind mechanical devices.
Every school will have different requirements, but some courses you can expect to come across include: circuits and electronics, chemistry, statistics, dynamics, differential equations, thermodynamics, materials science, principle of design, principles of engineering, and fluid mechanics and aerodynamics.
A degree in Mechanical Engineering explores Mechanical Engineering. Read on to learn the important information every mechanical engineering major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering mechanical engineering programs.
Across the country, mechanical engineering is a widely-pursued major, with 42,939 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Mechanical Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 424 schools to determine the best overall colleges for mechanical engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of mechanical engineering programs later in this article.
Programs in Mechanical Engineering build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations mechanical engineering graduates commonly enter.
If you are creative and like to design and build unique pieces of machinery this will be a great major for you. You must be willing to think outside the box while being precise and having attention to detail. This will help when you start to make new discoveries as you address complex problems. You will rely heavily on your math skills and apply these advanced topics of mathematics to help analyze and design your work.
Students will spend a good deal of time working on group projects, studying in the library or writing up lab reports and research papers. Most schools will require you work a co-op, so it may take you five years as undergraduate student to graduate instead of typical four years. This so you can learn the mechanical skills necessary to join the workforce and tackle real world problems.
Skills built by a mechanical engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a mechanical engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several mechanical engineering 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 10 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 305 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 33,346 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 7,465 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 1,812 |
People currently working in careers related to mechanical engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 31.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 29.3% |
| Master’s degree | 14.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 9.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.5% |
| First professional degree | 0.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.3% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in mechanical engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
This major will allow you to work in broad variety of fields. You could work with many diverse employers from NASA to large power plants to the biomedical field to environmental control to transportation. You could design tiny measuring instruments, large aircraft carriers or power plants.
It will be easier for you to obtain a job if you have experience with new software and recent technology.
A degree in mechanical engineering can lead to a variety of career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to mechanical engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to mechanical engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Automotive Engineers | 266,832 | 6.0% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
| Cost Estimators | 181,631 | 12.4% |
| Fuel Cell Engineers | 154,557 | -1.8% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 138,496 | 5.1% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 95,445 | 7.7% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of mechanical engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $72,983 |
| 4 years | $84,027 |
| 5 years | $94,559 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for mechanical engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers mechanical engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Fuel Cell Engineers | $137,020 |
| Automotive Engineers | $107,733 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Cost Estimators | $80,966 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Mechanical Engineers | $79,543 |
| Aerospace Engineers | $63,328 |
With 424 different mechanical engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased mechanical engineering school rankings to help you.
Those considering mechanical engineering, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 42,939 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Engineering, Other | 3,529 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
