37,343
Graduates Per Year
$61K
Average Salary
#16
Most Popular Major
TOP
25
Degree Stats
Popular
37,343
13% NATIONAL AVG
Diplomas Received Last Year
372
5% NATIONAL AVG
Colleges Offering this Degree
Most Popular Degrees
15
Economics
40,355
16
Mechanical Engineering
37,343
17
Computer and Information Sciences
36,674
Most Widely Offered Degrees
35
/
1.852
Worse
Better
Top 100 Colleges offering this degree
Degree Granting Schools that are Public
Most Graduates
By Region
Southeast
University of Central Florida
By State
California
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
By Conference
Big Ten Conference
University of Maryland-College Park
By School
Naval Postgraduate School
If you think life as a mechanical design engineer, product development engineer, or senior mechanical engineer sounds interesting, then a degree in mechanical engineering may just be for you. You could even become the engineer designing mechanical components for prosthetics!
Mechanical engineering is the 16th most popular degree in America, with 37,343 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #17 Computer and Information Sciences, and narrowly lost to #15 Economics.
The degree is offered at a total of 372 colleges across the nation, and is the 61st most widely offered degree. Given that mechanical engineering is offered at 48% of the Top 100 Best Colleges in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.
It is also worth noting that in the neighborhood of two out of three colleges offering mechanical engineering are public making it a quite accessible field.
The southeast produces the most mechanical engineering graduates, largely led by University of Central Florida, while it’s the Big Ten Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo and University of California-Irvine.
All that being said, no individual school produces more mechanical engineering graduates than Naval Postgraduate School, which graduated 552 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study mechanical engineering). More students studied mechanical engineering as a percentage of total students at Kettering University than any other college.
We wish you luck finding the right college for you. We hope you enjoy Authority's 2022 official Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering list. Some of our picks may surprise you!
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#1 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus is a very large public university located in Atlanta, GA ranked 49th in the US. It has a total of 17,400 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting 20.58% of applicants. Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus offers 127 different majors and is best known for its Engineering, Computer and Information Sciences, and Mechanical Engineering programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $10,258 for in-state students and $31,370 for those from out-of-state, Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus is reasonably high-priced. 78.03% of students graduate starting the next stage of their lives, working. Open graduating, alumni go on to take in approximately $79,100 per year, which is 90% greater than the national median.
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Atlanta, GA
www.gatech.edu
A+
Rating
21%
Acceptance
38,951
Students
# 4
Ranking
$31,370
Tuition
#2 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a large private university located in Cambridge, MA ranked 1st in the US. It has a total of 4,698 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 6.7% of applicants. Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers 114 different majors and is best known for its Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $53,450 per year, Massachusetts Institute of Technology is extremely expensive. 90% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, working. After finishing college, alumni go on to generate near $104,700 per year, which is 152% greater than the national median.
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Cambridge, MA
web.mit.edu/
A+
Rating
7%
Acceptance
12,321
Students
# 1
Ranking
$53,450
Tuition
#3 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Stanford University is a large private university located in Stanford, CA ranked 2nd in the nation. It has a total of 8,290 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 4.34% of applicants. Stanford University offers 227 different majors and is best known for its Human Biology, Industrial Management, and Earth Sciences programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $52,857 per year, Stanford University is exceptionally pricey. 89.2% of students graduate moving on to the next phase of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to make roughly $94,000 per year, which is 126% above the national median.
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Stanford, CA
www.stanford.edu/
A+
Rating
4%
Acceptance
20,993
Students
# 2
Ranking
$52,857
Tuition
#4 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Colorado School of Mines is a mid-sized public school of engineering and technology located in Golden, CO ranked 113th in the nation. It has a total of 5,116 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 53.08% acceptance rate. Colorado School of Mines offers 77 different majors and is best known for its Geological Engineering, Applied Physics, and Petroleum Engineering programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $16,650 for in-state students and $37,350 for those from out-of-state, Colorado School of Mines is quite costly. 78.76% of students graduate starting the next stage of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to earn about $84,900 per year, which is 104% greater than the national median.
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Golden, CO
www.mines.edu
A
Rating
53%
Acceptance
6,639
Students
# 17
Ranking
$37,350
Tuition
#5 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Michigan Technological University is a mid-sized public university located in Houghton, MI ranked 282nd in America. It has a total of 6,081 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 74.31% acceptance rate. Michigan Technological University offers 142 different majors and is best known for its Network and System Administration, Mechanical Engineering, and Geological Engineering programs (nationally ranked 1st, 5th, and 5th respectively). With an annual tuition of $15,660 for in-state students and $34,896 for those from out-of-state, Michigan Technological University is somewhat moderately costly. 63.3% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, employment. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to draw near $66,400 per year, which is 60% above the national median.
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Houghton, MI
https://www.mtu.edu
A-
Rating
74%
Acceptance
7,657
Students
# 78
Ranking
$34,896
Tuition
#6 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is a very large public university located in Ann Arbor, MI ranked 37th in the nation. It has a total of 31,206 full-time undergraduate students and is relatively competitive, accepting more or less 2 in 9 applicants. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor offers 433 different majors and is best known for its Experimental Psychology, Data Modeling and Database Administration, and German Language and Literature programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $15,230 for students from Michigan and $50,872 for those from out-of-state, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor is exceptionally pricey. 86.28% of students graduate beginning the next stage of their lives, working. After college, alumni go on to take home more or less $63,400 per year, which is 53% greater than the national median.
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Ann Arbor, MI
https://umich.edu/
A+
Rating
23%
Acceptance
48,218
Students
# 2
Ranking
$50,872
Tuition
#7 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Stevens Institute of Technology is a mid-sized private university located in Hoboken, NJ ranked 65th in the nation. It has a total of 3,462 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting 39.96% of applicants. Stevens Institute of Technology offers 133 different majors and is best known for its Computer Engineering, Financial Mathematics, and Music Technology programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $52,134 per year, Stevens Institute of Technology is extremely pricey. 77.16% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, entering the labor force. After graduation, alumni go on to make near $89,200 per year, which is 115% over the national median.
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Hoboken, NJ
www.stevens.edu
A+
Rating
40%
Acceptance
7,990
Students
# 60
Ranking
$52,134
Tuition
#8 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Purdue University-Main Campus is a very large public university located in West Lafayette, IN ranked 133rd in America. It has a total of 35,481 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 59.83% acceptance rate. Purdue University-Main Campus offers 382 different majors and is best known for its Engineering Technologies, Mechanical Engineering Technology, and Computer Graphics programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $9,208 for students from Indiana and $28,010 for those from out-of-state, Purdue University-Main Campus is reasonably expensive. 69.04% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, employment. After graduation, alumni go on to take in more or less $55,100 per year, which is 33% greater than the national median.
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West Lafayette, IN
https://www.purdue.edu
A
Rating
60%
Acceptance
47,412
Students
# 26
Ranking
$28,010
Tuition
#9 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is a mid-sized private university located in Worcester, MA ranked 89th in the nation. It has a total of 4,879 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 49.37% acceptance rate. Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers 116 different majors and is best known for its Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering, Game and Interactive Media Design, and Engineering programs (nationally ranked 1st, 7th, and 8th respectively). With an annual tuition of $51,604 per year, Worcester Polytechnic Institute is very pricey. 85.88% of students graduate starting the next stage of their lives, working. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to make more or less $84,900 per year, which is 104% over the national median.
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Worcester, MA
https://www.wpi.edu/
A+
Rating
49%
Acceptance
7,505
Students
# 78
Ranking
$51,604
Tuition
#10 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University is a large private university located in Pittsburgh, PA ranked 21st in the nation. It has a total of 7,068 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting hardly above 1/7 of applicants. Carnegie Mellon University offers 321 different majors and is best known for its Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Statistics, and Information Technology programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $55,816 per year, Carnegie Mellon University is extremely high-priced. 78.26% of students graduate moving on to the next phase of their lives, working. After college, alumni go on to earn around $83,600 per year, which is 101% over the national median.
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Pittsburgh, PA
www.cmu.edu/
A+
Rating
15%
Acceptance
15,143
Students
# 21
Ranking
$55,816
Tuition
#11 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Texas A & M University-College Station is a very large public university located in College Station, TX ranked 124th in America. It has a total of 56,527 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting something like four sevenths of applicants. Texas A & M University-College Station offers 409 different majors and is best known for its Construction Engineering Technology, Fitness Administration, and Petroleum Engineering programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $8,532 for students from Texas and $34,981 for those from out-of-state, Texas A & M University-College Station is somewhat moderately pricey. 76.91% of students graduate beginning the next chapter of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to bring in about $58,000 per year, which is 40% over the national median.
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College Station, TX
https://www.tamu.edu
A
Rating
58%
Acceptance
73,267
Students
# 23
Ranking
$34,981
Tuition
#12 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
University of Florida is a very large public university located in Gainesville, FL ranked 78th in America. It has a total of 38,645 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting just under 3 in every 8 applicants. University of Florida offers 433 different majors and is best known for its Exercise Physiology, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, and Family and Community Services programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $4,477 for in-state students and $25,694 for those from out-of-state, University of Florida is somewhat moderately pricey. 85.38% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, employment. After finishing their studies, alumni go on to make more or less $56,000 per year, which is 35% above the national median.
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Gainesville, FL
www.ufl.edu/
A+
Rating
37%
Acceptance
58,749
Students
# 8
Ranking
$25,694
Tuition
#13 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland-College Park is a very large public university located in College Park, MD ranked 100th in America. It has a total of 33,022 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 44.18% of applicants. University of Maryland-College Park offers 432 different majors and is best known for its Criminology, Preschool Education and Teaching, and Family and Community Services programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $8,824 for students from Maryland and $34,936 for those from out-of-state, University of Maryland-College Park is somewhat moderately pricey. 75.08% of students graduate beginning the next stage of their lives, joining the labor market. After graduation, alumni go on to make around $62,900 per year, which is 51% greater than the national median.
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College Park, MD
www.umd.edu
A
Rating
44%
Acceptance
44,486
Students
# 13
Ranking
$34,936
Tuition
#14 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Northeastern University is a very large private university located in Boston, MA ranked 36th in the United States. It has a total of 18,753 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, with a 18.05% acceptance rate. Northeastern University offers 186 different majors and is best known for its Human Services, Physical Therapy, and Data Modeling and Database Administration programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $52,420 per year, Northeastern University is very expensive. 73.11% of students graduate starting the next phase of their lives, employment. After finishing college, alumni go on to take in approximately $67,400 per year, which is 62% greater than the national median.
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Boston, MA
www.northeastern.edu
A+
Rating
18%
Acceptance
28,374
Students
# 35
Ranking
$52,420
Tuition
#15 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Cornell University is a very large private university located in Ithaca, NY ranked 11th in America. It has a total of 15,464 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 10.85% of applicants. Cornell University offers 323 different majors and is best known for its Human Resources, Agricultural Business and Management, and Agriculture programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $56,550 per year, Cornell University is very high-priced. 89.35% of students graduate moving on to the next stage of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to take home roughly $77,200 per year, which is 86% above the national median.
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Ithaca, NY
www.cornell.edu
A+
Rating
11%
Acceptance
24,189
Students
# 11
Ranking
$56,550
Tuition
#16 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
University of California-Berkeley is a very large public university located in Berkeley, CA ranked 68th in the United States. It has a total of 32,700 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting 16.25% of applicants. University of California-Berkeley offers 315 different majors and is best known for its Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Natural Resources and Conservation, and Environmental Studies programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $11,442 for students from California and $41,196 for those from out-of-state, University of California-Berkeley is rather costly. 58.68% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, entering the workforce. After finishing college, alumni go on to take home roughly $64,700 per year, which is 56% above the national median.
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Berkeley, CA
www.berkeley.edu
A+
Rating
16%
Acceptance
45,183
Students
# 7
Ranking
$41,196
Tuition
#17 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a mid-sized private university located in Troy, NY ranked 70th in the United States. It has a total of 6,706 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, with a 47.41% acceptance rate. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers 145 different majors and is best known for its Computer Engineering Technologies, Game and Interactive Media Design, and Nuclear Engineering programs (nationally ranked 1st, 4th, and 4th respectively). With an annual tuition of $54,000 per year, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is exceptionally expensive. 82.28% of students graduate ready to the next stage of their lives, joining the labor force. After graduation, alumni go on to take home about $82,000 per year, which is 97% greater than the national median.
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Troy, NY
www.rpi.edu
A+
Rating
47%
Acceptance
8,156
Students
# 63
Ranking
$54,000
Tuition
#18 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Princeton University is a mid-sized private university located in Princeton, NJ ranked 5th in the nation. It has a total of 5,535 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting 5.78% of applicants. Princeton University offers 125 different majors and is best known for its Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology, and Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $51,870 per year, Princeton University is extremely costly. 88.56% of students graduate ready to the next phase of their lives, entering the labor force. After finishing college, alumni go on to earn more or less $74,700 per year, which is 80% greater than the national median.
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Princeton, NJ
www.princeton.edu
A+
Rating
6%
Acceptance
8,720
Students
# 5
Ranking
$51,870
Tuition
#19 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is a very large public university located in Blacksburg, VA ranked 136th in the nation. It has a total of 28,939 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting roughly 7 out of every 10 applicants. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University offers 242 different majors and is best known for its Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services, Foreign Languages and Literatures, and Management Science programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $11,420 for in-state students and $29,960 for those from out-of-state, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is somewhat moderately expensive. 80.79% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, working. After college, alumni go on to take in more or less $62,500 per year, which is 50% greater than the national median.
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Blacksburg, VA
WWW.VT.EDU
A
Rating
70%
Acceptance
36,882
Students
# 28
Ranking
$29,960
Tuition
#20 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University is a very large private university located in Baltimore, MD ranked 7th in the United States. It has a total of 8,185 full-time undergraduate students and is quite competitive, accepting more or less one in every ten applicants. Johns Hopkins University offers 362 different majors and is best known for its Public Health, Neuroscience, and Biophysics programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $55,350 per year, Johns Hopkins University is very expensive. 83.58% of students graduate beginning the next phase of their lives, entering the labor force. After finishing college, alumni go on to earn more or less $73,200 per year, which is 76% over the national median.
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Baltimore, MD
www.jhu.edu
A+
Rating
11%
Acceptance
33,543
Students
# 7
Ranking
$55,350
Tuition
#21 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin is a very large public university located in Austin, TX ranked 81st in America. It has a total of 43,132 full-time undergraduate students and is somewhat competitive, accepting barely below 1 out of every 3 applicants. The University of Texas at Austin offers 339 different majors and is best known for its Communication Sciences and Disorders, Writing, and Accounting programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $10,824 for students from Texas and $38,326 for those from out-of-state, The University of Texas at Austin is quite expensive. 77.77% of students graduate starting the next chapter of their lives, employment. After college, alumni go on to earn more or less $58,200 per year, which is 40% above the national median.
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Austin, TX
www.utexas.edu
A+
Rating
32%
Acceptance
55,128
Students
# 10
Ranking
$38,326
Tuition
#22 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Duke University is a large private university located in Durham, NC ranked 6th in America. It has a total of 7,338 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, with a 7.6% acceptance rate. Duke University offers 242 different majors and is best known for its Public Policy Analysis, Computer Engineering, and Education programs (nationally ranked 1st, 2nd, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $55,880 per year, Duke University is very expensive. 94.41% of students graduate starting the next chapter of their lives, working. After graduation, alumni go on to earn close to $84,400 per year, which is 103% above the national median.
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Durham, NC
WWW.DUKE.EDU
A+
Rating
8%
Acceptance
18,159
Students
# 6
Ranking
$55,880
Tuition
#23 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
University of Pennsylvania is a very large private university located in Philadelphia, PA ranked 8th in the US. It has a total of 14,000 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, with a 7.66% acceptance rate. University of Pennsylvania offers 355 different majors and is best known for its Finance, Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, and Philosophy programs, which are all nationally ranked 1st. With an annual tuition of $51,156 per year, University of Pennsylvania is exceptionally pricey. 81.13% of students graduate ready to the next chapter of their lives, entering the labor force. Open graduating, alumni go on to earn more or less $85,900 per year, which is 107% greater than the national median.
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Philadelphia, PA
www.upenn.edu
A+
Rating
8%
Acceptance
29,813
Students
# 8
Ranking
$51,156
Tuition
#24 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
Kettering University is a small private school of engineering and technology located in Flint, MI ranked 9th in Michigan. It has a total of 2,085 full-time undergraduate students and is not very competitive, accepting 72.99% of applicants. Kettering University offers 26 different majors and is best known for its Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Engineering programs, which are respectively ranked 24th and 34th in the nation. With an annual tuition of $44,380 per year, Kettering University is quite pricey. 43.26% of students graduate moving on to the next phase of their lives, working. Open graduating, alumni go on to take in about $80,500 per year, which is 94% greater than the national median.
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Flint, MI
https://www.kettering.edu/
B+
Rating
73%
Acceptance
2,734
Students
# 287
Ranking
$44,380
Tuition
#25 Best Colleges for Mechanical Engineering
California Institute of Technology is a small private university located in Pasadena, CA ranked 19th in the United States. It has a total of 989 full-time undergraduate students and is highly competitive, accepting slightly north of 1 in 20 applicants. California Institute of Technology offers 93 different majors and is best known for its Computational Mathematics, Astrophysics, and Physics programs (nationally ranked 1st, 1st, and 2nd respectively). With an annual tuition of $52,506 per year, California Institute of Technology is very expensive. After college, alumni go on to take home near $85,900 per year, which is 107% over the national median.
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Pasadena, CA
www.caltech.edu
A+
Rating
6%
Acceptance
2,334
Students
# 19
Ranking
$52,506
Tuition