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Mechanical Engineering

Instructional content is defined in code 14.1901.

Types of Degrees Mechanical Engineering Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Mechanical Engineering can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	10
Associate’s Degree	305
Bachelor’s Degree	33,346
Master’s Degree	7,465
Doctor’s Degree	1,812

What Mechanical Engineering Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Mechanical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Mechanical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mechanical Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management	Project management software	—
Dassault Systemes CATIA	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mechanical Engineering graduates include:

• Mechanical Drawing Teacher
• Instructor
• College Professor
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• Circuits and Robotics Instructor
• Electrical Engineering Professor
• Hydraulics Teacher
• Agricultural Engineering Teacher
• Petroleum Engineering Teacher
• Industrial Engineering Professor
• Theoretical Mechanics Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Adjunct Professor
• Manufacturing Engineering Professor
• Heat Engineering Teacher

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	31.3%
Doctoral degree	29.3%
Master’s degree	14.4%
Post-master’s certificate	9.7%
Post-doctoral training	8.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	2.8%
Postsecondary certificate	1.5%
First professional degree	0.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.5%
Some college courses	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mechanical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 82.4% of Mechanical Engineering degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7,569	17.6%
Men	35,370	82.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	22,967	53.5%
Asian	4,178	9.7%
Hispanic or Latino	5,848	13.6%
Black or African American	1,466	3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	89	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	33	0.1%
Two or More Races	1,724	4.0%
Race Unknown	899	2.1%
International Students	5,735	13.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Mechanical Engineering Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Mechanical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$72,983
4 years	$84,027
5 years	$94,559

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $94,559 — roughly 30% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Mechanical Engineering Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Mechanical Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	5	8
Master’s	22	34
Doctoral (Research)	2	9

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Mechanical Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Mechanical Engineering graduates earn a median of $84,027 four years after completion — roughly 121% 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
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
Materials Engineering	3,129

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.