2023 Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region
Finding the Best Mechanical Engineering School for You
Mechanical Engineering is the #21 most popular major in the country with 46,178 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house. Also there are many trade schools that offer short-term programs that open up more career options.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 66 schools in the Southeast Region to see which ones offered the best programs for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
2023 Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region
The colleges and universities below are the best for ME majors pursuing a .
Top 10 Best Mechanical Engineering Schools
Our analysis found Duke University to be the best school for mechanical engineering students who want to pursue a degree in the Southeast Region . Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, ME graduates from Duke carry an average student debtload of $12,485.
Request Information
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Vanderbilt University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region list. Located in the city of Nashville, Vanderbilt is a private not-for-profit college with a large student population.
While working on their degree, ME majors at Vanderbilt accumulate an average of around $14,000 in student debt.
Request Information
Out of the 66 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the # 3 spot on the list. Georgia Tech is a very large public school located in the city of Atlanta.
ME majors at Georgia Tech take out an average of $26,500 in student loans while working on their egree. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $404, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Request Information
Out of the 66 schools in the Southeast Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Tech landed the # 4 spot on the list. Virginia Tech is a very large public school located in the city of Blacksburg.
After completing their degree, ME graduates from Virginia Tech carry an average student debtload of $24,998. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $399.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech
Request Information
The excellent programs at University of Virginia - Main Campus helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best mechanical engineering schools in the Southeast Region . University of Virginia is a very large public school located in the suburb of Charlottesville.
ME majors at University of Virginia take out an average of $23,567 in student loans while working on their egree.
Request Information
University of Florida did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for mechanical engineering students. It came in at #6 on the list. Located in the city of Gainesville, UF is a public college with a fairly large student population.
While working on their degree, ME majors at UF accumulate an average of around $19,250 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $157, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Florida
Request Information
North Carolina State University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region ranking. Located in the large city of Raleigh, NC State is a public school with a fairly large student population.
On average, ME graduates from NC State take out $23,782 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $318.
Request Information
Clemson University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best mechanical engineering programs. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson is a public school with a very large student population.
While working on their degree, ME majors at Clemson accumulate an average of around $22,899 in student debt. This translates to an average monthly loan payment of $382, based on a 10-year repayment plan.
Full Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University Report
Request Information
Auburn University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region list. Auburn is a very large public school located in the small city of Auburn.
After completing their degree, ME graduates from Auburn carry an average student debtload of $25,000. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $483.
Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Auburn University
Request Information
University of Georgia did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for mechanical engineering students. It came in at #10 on the list. UGA is a very large public school located in the medium-sized city of Athens.
While working on their degree, ME majors at UGA accumulate an average of around $22,874 in student debt. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $146.
Request InformationAdditional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great schools for Mechanical Engineering students in the Southeast Region that almost earned our Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in the Southeast Region award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | Baton Rouge, LA |
| 12 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville | Knoxville, TN |
| 13 | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL |
Best Mechanical Engineering Colleges by State
Explore the best mechanical engineering schools for a specific state in the Southeast region.
| State | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Georgia | 1,418 |
| Virginia | 947 |
| North Carolina | 918 |
| Florida | 2,254 |
| Tennessee | 603 |
| Kentucky | 391 |
| South Carolina | 715 |
| Louisiana | 453 |
| Arkansas | 280 |
| Alabama | 1,019 |
| Mississippi | 309 |
| West Virginia | 217 |
More Mechanical Engineering Rankings in the Southeast Region
Rankings in Majors Related to ME
One of 40 majors within the area of study, mechanical engineering has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Electrical Engineering | 28,844 |
| Civil Engineering | 21,388 |
| Computer Engineering | 17,987 |
| Chemical Engineering | 12,917 |
| Biomedical Engineering | 12,811 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Michel Villeneuve.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Course Advisor provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© 2025 Course Advisor – All Rights Reserved.