Mechanical Engineering

CIP Code: 14.1901

A mechanical engineering degree prepares graduates for careers in Architectural and engineering managers, Aerospace engineers, Engineering teachers, postsecondary and more. 424 colleges and universities offer this program.

Annual Degrees Awarded
42,939
Colleges Offering 424
Avg. Career Salary $117,616
Top Career Salary $167,740

What Can You Do With a Mechanical Engineering Degree?

Graduates with this degree pursue careers in the following fields:

Architectural and engineering managers

$167,740 +3.8% growth

Aerospace engineers

$134,830 +6.1% growth

Engineering teachers, postsecondary

$106,120 +8.1% growth

Mechanical engineers

$102,320 +9.1% growth

Cost estimators

$77,070 -4.2% growth
$117,616
Average Salary Across Careers
$167,740
Highest Paying Career
5
Career Paths Available

Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering

Ranked by Repit grade, then by degrees awarded. These are the top-rated colleges that produce the most graduates in mechanical engineering.

# College Location Degrees Awarded Repit Grade
1 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 466 A+
2 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 322 A+
3 Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA 782 A
4 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 447 A
5 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 418 A
6 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 405 A
7 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 293 A
8 University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA 285 A
9 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 284 A
10 University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 278 A
11 Cornell University Ithaca, NY 272 A
12 Stanford University Stanford, CA 261 A
13 Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY 242 A
14 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD 224 A
15 Boston University Boston, MA 203 A
16 University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA 190 A
17 University of Georgia Athens, GA 187 A
18 Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO 164 A
19 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 157 A
20 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 145 A
21 Northwestern University Evanston, IL 142 A
22 New York University New York, NY 139 A
23 University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 125 A
24 Duke University Durham, NC 116 A
25 Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN 819 B+
26 Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX 668 B+
27 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA 450 B+
28 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 447 B+
29 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 428 B+
30 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 398 B+

Largest Mechanical Engineering Programs

Schools ranked by number of graduates. These institutions produce the most mechanical engineering graduates annually, including online and distance learning programs.

# College Location Degrees Awarded Repit Grade
1 Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN 819 B+
2 Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, GA 782 A
3 Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, TX 668 B+
4 Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ 508 B
5 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 466 A+
6 Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus University Park, PA 450 B+
7 University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA 447 A
8 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA 447 B+
9 University of Central Florida Orlando, FL 428 B+
10 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 418 A
11 The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 405 A
12 University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, CO 405 B
13 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 398 B+
14 North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC 397 B+
15 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 389 B
16 Colorado School of Mines Golden, CO 378 B
17 Iowa State University Ames, IA 369 B
18 Northeastern University Boston, MA 358 B+
19 Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 348 B
20 Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 346 B+
21 University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD 345 B+
22 University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI 345 B+
23 University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 322 A+
24 Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 314 B
25 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA 309 B+
26 Clemson University Clemson, SC 303 B+
27 Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 299 B
28 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA 297 B
29 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 293 A
30 Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK 286 B
42,939
Degrees Awarded Annually
424
Colleges Offering Program
5
Related Careers

About Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering is a degree program offered at 424 colleges and universities across the United States. Each year, approximately 42,939 students graduate with this degree.

Graduates with this degree can pursue careers such as architectural and engineering managers, aerospace engineers, engineering teachers, postsecondary, mechanical engineers, cost estimators.

Program Classification

CIP Code 14.1901
Field (2-digit CIP) 14
Category (4-digit CIP) 14.19

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with a Mechanical Engineering degree?
A Mechanical Engineering degree can lead to careers as a architectural and engineering managers, aerospace engineers, engineering teachers, postsecondary, mechanical engineers, cost estimators, and more. Top earners in related careers can make up to $167,740 annually.
How many colleges offer Mechanical Engineering?
424 colleges and universities in the United States offer Mechanical Engineering as a degree program. Each year, approximately 42,939 students graduate with this degree.
What are the best colleges for Mechanical Engineering?
The best colleges for Mechanical Engineering based on Repit's ratings include University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of California-Los Angeles, Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus, University of California-Berkeley, University of Florida. Rankings are based on the college's overall Repit grade and the number of degrees awarded in this program.
What is the salary potential with a Mechanical Engineering degree?
Graduates with a Mechanical Engineering degree can expect average salaries around $117,616 in related careers, with top earners making up to $167,740. Actual salaries depend on the specific career path, experience level, and location.