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 2018-2019 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 2,866 |
Associate’s Degree | 2,168 |
Basic Certificate | 1,928 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 624 |
Master’s Degree | 164 |
Graduate Certificate | 21 |
Doctor’s Degree | 1 |
What Mechanical Engineering Majors Need to Know
People with careers related to ME tech were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.
Knowledge Areas for ME Tech Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in ME tech should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

- 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
ME tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

- 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
ME Tech majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

- 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 |
Automotive Master Mechanics | 6.1% | $40,710 |
Mechanical Engineering Technicians | 5.0% | $56,250 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’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 | 139 |
Black or African American | 157 |
Hispanic or Latino | 250 |
White | 1,855 |
International Students | 287 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 178 |
Geographic Diversity
Students from other countries are interested in ME Tech, too. About 10.0% 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?
Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary
The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology made a median starting salary of $55,600 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $53,000 (25th percentile) and $59,850 (75th percentile).

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a ME tech degree.
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 you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
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 degrees associated with ME tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.
Find out what the typical degree level is for ME tech careers below.

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 2018-2019 academic year, 332 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) | 95 | 2 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 80 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 5 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 257 | 3 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 7 | 3 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 95 | 2 |
Master’s Degree | 4 | 2 |
Post-Master’s | 0 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 1 | 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!

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Majors Related to Mechanical Engineering
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to ME tech.
Major | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Industrial Production Technology | 14,313 |
Drafting & Design Engineering Technology | 10,756 |
Electromechanical Engineering Technology | 10,702 |
Environmental Control Technology | 10,042 |
Electronics Engineering Technology | 9,875 |
Engineering-Related Fields | 5,997 |
Quality Control Technology | 4,315 |
General Engineering Technology | 4,212 |
Computer Engineering Technology | 4,180 |
Construction Engineering Technology | 3,824 |
Engineering Technology (Other) | 1,786 |
Architectural Engineering Technology | 1,362 |
Civil Engineering Technology | 1,357 |
Engineering-Related Technologies | 840 |
Mining & Petroleum Technology | 705 |
Nuclear Engineering Technology | 388 |
Nanotechnology | 123 |
References
- 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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