Mechanical Engineering Major

Mechanical engineering technology is a major that typically falls into the Engineering Technologies category.

There are 255 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in ME tech, 98 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 4 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 1 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a ME Tech Degree?

This is a less frequently chosen major. Only 2,700 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology in 2017. This major attracts more men than women. About 92.4% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of ME tech majors is as follows:

• Asian: 4.8%
• Black or African American: 4.7%
• Hispanic or Latino: 8.8%
• White: 64.8%
• Non-Resident Alien: 11.1%
• Other Races: 5.7%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in ME tech. About 11.1% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending ME tech majors to the U.S. are Saudi Arabia, India and China.

What Will You Learn as a Mechanical Engineering Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to ME tech to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for ME Tech Majors

A major in ME tech should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

Skills for ME Tech Majors

A major in ME tech prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

Abilities for ME Tech Majors

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

What Can You Do With a ME Tech Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with ME tech:

Careers Related to Mechanical Engineering

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Automotive Master Mechanics	6.1%	$40,710
Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technicians	6.6%	$67,010
Mechanical Engineering Technicians	5%	$56,250
Automotive Engineering Technicians	5%	$56,250

Mechanical Engineering Major Salary

ME tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $44,000 to $69,000. 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, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Mechanical Engineering Major Jobs

Some careers associated with ME tech require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much education 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 Levels for Careers Associated With Mechanical Engineering

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	0%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	18%
Post-Secondary Certificate	32.6%
Some College Courses	3.9%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	21.6%
Bachelor's Degree	21.6%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	0%
Master's Degree	3.5%
Post-Master's Certificate	0%
First Professional Degree	0%
Doctoral Degree	0%
Post-Doctoral Training	0%

Online Mechanical Engineering Programs

There are 98 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology, with 9 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Getting your degree online is not easy and includes watching and listening to hours of lectures, participating in group charts, submitting papers by the appropriate deadline and taking tests. Some online programs will also feature internships or in-person clinical hours.

Is a Mechanical Engineering Major Worth It?

The median salary for a ME tech grad is $58,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 50% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $386,800 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• General Engineering Technology
• Architectural Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Electronics Engineering
• Electromechanical Engineering
• Environmental Control Technology
• Industrial Production Technology
• Quality Control Technology
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mining & Petroleum Technology
• Construction Engineering
• Engineering-Related Technologies
• Computer Engineering
• Drafting & Design Engineering
• Nuclear Engineering
• Engineering-Related Fields
• Nanotechnology
• Other Engineering Technology

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
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