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Engineering: Mechanical Engineering Focus

Katie Schenk - November 17, 2019

Mechanical engineering schools and salaries

Want to get your master’s degree in mechanical engineering (either MS or ME) in the United States? Hoping to get an H-1B visa after your degree for additional work experience in the country?

There are plenty of opportunities and the sector is set to grow at least 4% between 2018 and 2028. 

How much do mechanical engineers earn in the US?

According to PayScale.com, MS and ME degree holders had the potential for wide ranging salaries in 2018, depending on their positions (and, of course pre-study experience).

  • Mechanical Engineer: $62,032 - $98,649
  • Mechanical Design Engineer: $73,436
  • Senior Mechanical Engineer: $70,823 - $116,563
  • Project Engineer: $77,000
  • Design Engineer: $73,456

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put the 2016 median pay (across degrees) at $87,370 per year, with a mean annual salary of $92,800.

The industries with the highest salaries, according to the BLS, are:

  • Oil and Gas Extraction: $126,880
  • Waste Treatment and Disposal: $120,200
  • Remediation and Other Waste Management Services: $109,560
  • Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing: $108,980
  • Spectator Sports: $107,110

Where do mechanical engineers work in the US?

In case you’re wondering as you browse the employers that recruit MS and ME mechanical engineers on university campuses, the states employing the highest numbers of mechanical engineers are:

  • Michigan
  • California
  • Texas
  • Illinois
  • Pennsylvania

That might help you determine the best programme for your studies as you consider some of the top schools below.

Top mechanical engineering masters programmes in the US

Want to learn more about the top MS and Meng mechanical engineering programmes in the US? Take a look at their rankings, degrees, estimated cost of attendance and the companies recruiting on their campuses. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - School of Engineering

Cambridge (Boston), Massachusetts | Northeast

Stanford University - Stanford School of Engineering

Stanford (San Francisco), California | West


University of California Berkeley - School of Engineering

Berkeley (San Francisco), California | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 3
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 3
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $60,932
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (MEngME)

  • Take a look at companies recruiting Berkeley graduates.

California Institute of Technology - School of Engineering and Applied Science

Pasadena (Los Angeles), California | West

University of Michigan Ann Arbor - College of Engineering

Ann Arbor, Michigan | Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 5
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 5
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $72,724
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSE)

Georgia Institute of Technology - College of Engineering

Atlanta, Georgia | South

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 7
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 5
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $50,134
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

University of Illinois Urbana-​Champaign - College of Engineering

Urbana, Illinois | Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 10
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 4
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $50,134
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (M.Eng.ME)
  • Offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Illinois graduates.

Purdue University - College of Engineering

West Lafayette, Indiana| Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 8
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 8
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $44,908
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

Cornell University - College of Engineering

Ithaca, New York| Northeast

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 14
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 8
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $86,876
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.ME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (M.Eng.ME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

Carnegie Mellon University - College of Engineering

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 4
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 10
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $73,861
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

Princeton University - School of Engineering and Applied Science

Princeton, New Jersey| Northeast

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 17
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 11
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $85,120
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.E.ME)

University of Texas ​Austin - Cockrell School of Engineering

Austin, Texas| West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 11
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 12
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $39,476
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • Occasionally offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Cockrell graduates.

University of Texas ​Austin - Cockrell School of Engineering

Austin, Texas| West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 11
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 12
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $39,476
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • Occasionally offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Cockrell graduates.

Northwestern University - Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering

Evanston (Chicago), Illinois| Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 20
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 12
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $83,098
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

University of California Los Angeles - Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science

Los Angeles, California | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 16
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 10
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $73,861
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
  • Take a look at UCLA Career Center partners.

Johns Hopkins University - Whiting School of Engineering

Baltimore, Maryland | Northeast

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 17
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 19
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $74,642
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Mechanical Engineering

Pennsylvania State University University Park - College of Engineering

University Park, Pennsylvania | Northeast

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 35
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 14
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $54,000
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.ME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

Columbia University - The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science

New York, New York | Northeast

University of California ​San Diego - Jacobs School of Engineering

San Diego, California | West

Texas A&M University - Dwight Look College of Engineering

College Station, Texas | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 15
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 17
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $40,672
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (MEngME)
  • Offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Texas A&M graduates.

University of Pennsylvania - School of Engineering and Applied Science

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Northeast

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 17
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 17
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $80,206
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MSMEAM)

University of Wisconsin ​Madison - College of Engineering

Madison, Wisconsin| Midwest

Virginia Tech - College of Engineering

Blacksburg, Virginia | South

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 31
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 23
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $46,050
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (MEngME)
  • Offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Virginia Tech graduates.

University of Maryland ​College Park - A. James Clark School of Engineering

College Park (Washington DC), Maryland | Northeast

Duke University - Pratt School of Engineering

Durham, North Carolina | South

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 24
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 24
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $79,830
  • Degrees available: 

    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (MEngME)

  • Offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Duke graduates.

University of California ​Santa Barbara - College of Engineering

Santa Barbara, California | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 24
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 24
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $54,759
  • Degrees available: 

    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

University of Minnesota Twin Cities - College of Science and Engineering

Minneapolis, Minnesota | Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 27
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 24
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $47,164
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

Ohio State University - College of Engineering

Columbus, Ohio | Midwest

Rice University - George R. Brown School of Engineering

Houston, Texas | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 27
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 29
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $67,714
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)
    • Master of Mechanical Engineering (M.M.E.)
  • Occasionally offers spring admissions.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - School of Engineering

Troy, New York | Northeast

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 41
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 29
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $74,306
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Mechanical Engineering (MEngME)
  • Occasionally offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Rensselaer graduates.

University of Florida - Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

Gainesville, Florida | South

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 45
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 29
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $48,234
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.ME)
    • Master of Mechanical Engineering (M.E.ME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

University of Southern California - Viterbi School of Engineering

Los Angeles, California | West

University of Colorado ​Boulder - College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Boulder, Colorado | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 31
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 33
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $57,346
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.ME)
    • Master of Mechanical Engineering (M.E.ME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

University of Washington - College of Engineering

Seattle, Washington | West

North Carolina State University - College of Engineering

Raleigh, North Carolina| South

University of California ​Davis - College of Engineering

Davis (Sacramento), California | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 31
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 37
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $53,082
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

University of California ​Irvine - Henry Samueli School of Engineering

Irvine (Los Angeles), California | West

Vanderbilt University - School of Engineering

Nashville, Tennessee | South

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 39
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 37
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $57,757
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.ME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (M.E.ME)
  • Offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting Vanderbilt graduates.

Iowa State University - College of Engineering

Ames, Iowa | Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 41
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 37
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $44,902
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (MEME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

University of Notre Dame - College of Engineering

Notre Dame, Indiana | Midwest

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 47
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 37
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $76,280
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

Northeastern University - College of Engineering

Boston, Massachusetts | Northeast

University of Virginia - School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Charlottesville, Virginia | South

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 41
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 43
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $50,532
  • Degrees available: 
    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)
    • Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (MEME)
  • Offers spring admissions.

Arizona State University - Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering

Tempe, Arizona | West

  • USNWR engineering programme rank: 44
  • USNWR mechanical department rank: 43
  • Estimated annual cost of attendance: $48,555
  • Degrees available: 

    • Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

  • Offers spring admissions.
  • Take a look at companies recruiting ASU graduates.

Case Western Reserve University - Case School of Engineering

Cleveland, Ohio | Midwest

Found the mechanical engineering programme you want to attend?

Once you've gotten in, we'd love to help you out. 

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Post updated for accuracy and freshness on November 17, 2019. Originally published on November 23, 2017.

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