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Engineering Mechanics

Instructional content is defined in code 14.1101.

Types of Degrees Engineering Mechanics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Engineering Mechanics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	4
Bachelor’s Degree	67
Master’s Degree	66
Doctor’s Degree	53

What Engineering Mechanics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Engineering Mechanics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Engineering Mechanics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Engineering Mechanics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Engineering Mechanics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Engineering Mechanics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Engineering Mechanics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.2 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Engineering Mechanics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Engineering Mechanics graduates include:

• Engineer
• Ship Design Teacher
• Professor
• Mechanical Engineering Professor
• Architectural Engineering Teacher
• Agricultural Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Instructor
• Civil Engineering Professor
• Marine Engineering Teacher
• Electrical Engineering Teacher
• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• Assistant Professor
• Aeronautics Teacher
• Television Engineering Teacher
• Lecturer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Engineering Mechanics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	34.0%
Doctoral degree	27.0%
Master’s degree	13.0%
Post-doctoral training	7.0%
Post-master’s certificate	6.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.0%
Postsecondary certificate	2.4%
Some college courses	1.6%
First professional degree	1.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.6%
Less than a high school diploma	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Engineering Mechanics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 83.7% of Engineering Mechanics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	31	16.3%
Men	159	83.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Engineering Mechanics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	98	51.6%
Asian	9	4.7%
Hispanic or Latino	7	3.7%
Black or African American	2	1.1%
Two or More Races	3	1.6%
Race Unknown	9	4.7%
International Students	62	32.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Engineering Mechanics Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Engineering Mechanics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$76,585
4 years	$84,662
5 years	$95,412

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $95,412 — roughly 25% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Engineering Mechanics Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Engineering Mechanics graduates earn a median of $84,662 four years after completion — roughly 123% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Engineering	197,615
Mechanical Engineering	42,939
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

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.