---

Mechanical Engineering at University of South Carolina-Columbia

If you plan to study Mechanical Engineering, take a look at what University of South Carolina-Columbia. The following information will help you decide if it is a good fit for you.

University of South Carolina-Columbia is in Columbia, SC.

During the most recent reporting year, 159 mechanical engineering degrees were awarded at University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Online & Distance Learning at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Online coursework is an option at University of South Carolina-Columbia. Among 38,532 students, 3,519 (9%) were enrolled entirely in distance education and 21,675 (56%) took at least some classes online.

Mechanical Engineering Rankings at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Rankings can help you compare University of South Carolina-Columbia’s Mechanical Engineering program against peer institutions.

Master’s-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	South Carolina	#2 of 4
Best Value	South Carolina	#4 of 4
Best Schools (Quality)	Southeast (Region)	#25 of 70
Best Value	Southeast (Region)	#63 of 70
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#165 of 365
Best Value	Nationwide	#275 of 364

Doctoral-Level Rankings

Ranking	Scope	Rank
Best Schools (Quality)	South Carolina	#2 of 4
Best Value	South Carolina	#4 of 4
Best Schools (Quality)	Southeast (Region)	#25 of 70
Best Value	Southeast (Region)	#63 of 70
Best Schools (Quality)	Nationwide	#165 of 365
Best Value	Nationwide	#275 of 364

Earnings for Mechanical Engineering Graduates from University of South Carolina-Columbia

Those who finish University of South Carolina-Columbia’s Mechanical Engineering program earn at the following median levels (per the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard):

Years After Graduation	Median Earnings
1 year	$64,632
2 years	$66,670
3 years	$72,857
4 years	$78,911
5 years	$88,180

How does this compare to the school overall? At the four-year mark, Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of South Carolina-Columbia report median earnings of $78,911, compared with $66,578 for all University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates — about 19% higher than the school-wide median.

Median Debt at Graduation

Typical debt at graduation for Mechanical Engineering graduates from University of South Carolina-Columbia is $25,000.

Student Demographics & Diversity

Below you’ll find the composition of Mechanical Engineering graduates at University of South Carolina-Columbia, by degree type.

Looking at the program as a whole, Mechanical Engineering graduates at University of South Carolina-Columbia are 18% women (29) and 82% men (130).

Mechanical Engineering Bachelor’s Program at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Among the 124 bachelor’s mechanical engineering degrees awarded at University of South Carolina-Columbia, 19% were women (24) and 81% were men (100).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Mechanical Engineering bachelor’s degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	92
Hispanic / Latino	4
Black / African American	12
Asian	7
Two or More Races	4
International (Nonresident)	1
Unknown	4

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 22% of Mechanical Engineering bachelor’s degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia, below the national average of 34%.*

Mechanical Engineering Master’s Program at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Of the 23 master’s mechanical engineering degrees awarded at University of South Carolina-Columbia, 9% were women (2) and 91% were men (21).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Mechanical Engineering master’s degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	13
Black / African American	1
International (Nonresident)	9

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 4% of Mechanical Engineering master’s degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia, lower than the national average of 23%.*

Mechanical Engineering Doctoral Program at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Among the 12 doctoral mechanical engineering graduates at University of South Carolina-Columbia, 25% were women (3) and 75% were men (9).

The following table and chart show the race/ethnicity of Mechanical Engineering doctoral degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Race / Ethnicity	Number of Graduates
White	1
Hispanic / Latino	1
Asian	3
International (Nonresident)	6
Unknown	1

Racial-ethnic minorities make up 33% of Mechanical Engineering doctoral degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia, above the national average of 13%.*

*The racial-ethnic minorities figure is the total number of graduates minus White, international (nonresident), and unknown-race graduates.

More Specific Mechanical Engineering Concentrations at University of South Carolina-Columbia

The Mechanical Engineering program at University of South Carolina-Columbia includes the following sub-specializations:

Concentration	Graduates
General Mechanical Engineering	159

Best-Paid Careers for Mechanical Engineering Graduates

Those who complete Mechanical Engineering program at University of South Carolina-Columbia pursue many career paths. The table below ranks the top-paying careers for Mechanical Engineering graduates, ordered by median annual salary:

Occupation	Nationwide Median Wage
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

References

• IPEDS — Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard
• O*NET Online (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• National Center for Education Statistics

More about our data sources and methodologies.