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Mechanical Engineering Technology

Types of Degrees Mechanical Engineering Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Mechanical Engineering Technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	41
Associate’s Degree	1,016
Bachelor’s Degree	1,721
Master’s Degree	378

What Mechanical Engineering Technology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

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

• Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Mechanical Engineering Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Mechanical Engineering Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Processing Information	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Mechanical Engineering Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Autodesk Inventor	Computer aided design CAD software	—
PTC Creo Parametric	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
National Instruments LabVIEW	Development environment software	—
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates include:

• Mechanical Designer
• Mechanical Technician (Mechanical Tech)
• Test Technician (Test Tech)
• Electro-Mechanic
• Hardware Rework Specialist
• Process Control Tech
• Remotely Piloted Vehicle Controller (RPV Controller)
• Metrology Calibration Technician (Metrology Calibration Tech)
• Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operator (RPA Operator)
• Electromechanical Technologist (EM Technologist)
• Remotely Piloted Vehicle Engineering Technician (RPV Engineering Technician)
• Underwater Roboticist
• Certified Control Systems Technician
• Supply Chain Technician
• Photovoltaic Fabrication and Testing Technician (PV Fabrication and Testing Technician)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	29.6%
Postsecondary certificate	26.4%
Bachelor’s degree	24.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	7.1%
Some college courses	6.9%
Master’s degree	4.2%
Doctoral degree	1.3%
Less than a high school diploma	0.3%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 88.5% of Mechanical Engineering Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	365	11.5%
Men	2,797	88.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,990	62.9%
Asian	155	4.9%
Hispanic or Latino	473	15.0%
Black or African American	240	7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	19	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	6	0.2%
Two or More Races	89	2.8%
Race Unknown	106	3.4%
International Students	84	2.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Mechanical Engineering Technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$58,128
4 years	$66,942
5 years	$75,102

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $75,102 — roughly 29% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Mechanical Engineering Technology. 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
Associate’s	2	4
Bachelor’s	3	4

^{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 Technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates earn a median of $66,942 four years after completion — roughly 76% 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	CIP Code
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	15.08
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0801
Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0803
Marine Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0806
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other	15.0899
Motorsports Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0807
3-D Modeling and Design Technology/Technician	15.1307
Applied Engineering Technologies/Technicians	15.0001
Automation Engineer Technology/Technician	15.0406
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician	15.1302
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General	15.1301
Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician	15.0303

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.