Mechanical Engineering
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Types of Degrees Mechanical Engineering Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many mechanical engineering technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 87 |
Graduate Certificate | 17 |
What Mechanical Engineering Majors Need to Know
In an O*NET survey, ME tech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.
Knowledge Areas for ME Tech Majors
This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Skills for ME Tech Majors
The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to ME tech:
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Abilities for ME Tech Majors
As a ME tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
What Can You Do With a Mechanical Engineering Major?
Below is a list of occupations associated with ME tech:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians | 6.6% | $67,010 |
Automotive Engineering Technicians | 5.0% | $56,250 |
Mechanical Engineering Technicians | 5.0% | $56,250 |
Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of ME tech majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 6 |
Black or African American | 5 |
Hispanic or Latino | 2 |
White | 54 |
International Students | 11 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 9 |
Geographic Diversity
ME Tech appeals to people across the globe. About 12.6% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- Saudi Arabia
- India
- China
- South Korea
- Kuwait
How Much Do Mechanical Engineering Majors Make?
Master’s Degree Starting Salary
Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that mechanical engineering technology students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree made a median starting salary of $77,507 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $77,507 (25th percentile) and $77,507 (75th percentile).
One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to ME tech.
Salaries According to BLS
ME Tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $43,730 to $68,970 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Mechanical Engineering
Some careers associated with ME tech require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to ME tech have obtained the following education levels.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 18.0% |
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 32.6% |
Some College Courses | 3.9% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 21.6% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 21.6% |
Master’s Degree | 3.5% |
Online Mechanical Engineering Programs
In the 2020-2021 academic year, 324 schools offered some type of mechanical engineering technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 80 | 2 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 3 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 247 | 5 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 6 | 2 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 5 | 1 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Mechanical Engineering Worth It?
The median salary for a ME tech grad is $58,240 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 46% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $366,800 after 20 years!
Top Ranking Lists for Mechanical Engineering
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Majors Related to Mechanical Engineering
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to ME tech.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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