In earning an Online Mechanical Engineering Masters, grad students can widen their options for building a successful career. While not guaranteed, master’s grads may also earn higher earnings as they advance their expertise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 4 percent job growth for mechanical engineers, 2018-2028. Top employers were in engineering firms, architectural services, machinery manufacturers, and transportation equipment fabricators. This invaluable resource details how to complete and pay for an online master’s in Mechanical Engineering.
Our ranking of the 15 most affordable online master’s in mechanical engineering degree programs was based in-part by tuition costs (affordability), the university’s accreditation, the availability of required courses throughout the year, and institutional grants and scholarships. In all, the rankings help you make an informed choice in selecting an ME program.
<a href="https://www.onlinemasterscolleges.com/online-mechanical-engineering-masters">Online Mechanical Engineering Master's</a>
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College Name & Address | Tuition | Graduation Rate |
---|---|---|
#1 Kennesaw State University 1000 Chastain Rd, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144 | $5,328 | 43% |
#2 Texas Tech University Broadway and University Avenue, Lubbock, Texas 79409 | $5,958 | 60% |
#3 Texas A & M University JKW Administration Building, Suite 200, College Station, Texas 77843 | $6,677 | 82% |
#4 University of Central Florida 4000 Central Florida Blvd, Orlando, Florida 32816 | $6,916 | 73% |
#5 New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, New Mexico 87801 | $7,130 | 59% |
#6 University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive MS 2282, Moscow, Idaho 83844 | $7,754 | 59% |
#7 University of Houston 212 E. Cullen Building, Houston, Texas 77204 | $8,370 | 59% |
#8 University of Texas at Arlington 701 S. Nedderman Dr., Arlington, Texas 76013 | $8,474 | 49% |
#9 Mississippi State University Lee Boulevard, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762 | $8,800 | 58% |
#10 North Carolina State University, Raleigh 2101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 | $9,095 | 81% |
#11 Purdue University Hovde Hall of Administration, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 | $9,208 | 81% |
#12 Iowa State University 1750 Beardshear Hall, Ames, Iowa 50011-2103 | $9,758 | 75% |
#13 Auburn University Auburn, Alabama 36849 | $9,828 | 78% |
#14 Old Dominion University 5115 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, Virginia 23529 | $10,207 | 52% |
#15 Kansas State University 919 Mid-Campus Drive, Anderson Hall, Manhattan, Kansas 66506 | $10,212 | 64% |
#16 Missouri University of Science & Technology 300 W.13th Street, Rolla, Missouri 65409 | $10,452 | 63% |
#17 Colorado State University 102 Administration Building, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 | $10,520 | 71% |
#18 University of North Dakota 264 Centennial Drive, Stop 8193, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202 | $10,534 | 55% |
#19 University of Wisconsin, Madison 500 Lincoln Dr, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 | $10,770 | 87% |
#20 University of Florida 341 Tigert Hall 300 SW 13th St, Gainesville, Florida 32611 | $21,960 | 90% |
Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available
Our top-ranked online master’s in mechanical engineering programs are evaluated by academic excellence, reputation, opportunities for mentoring and networking, pertinent curriculum, research achievements, faculty expertise, and availability of specializations.
<a href="https://www.onlinemasterscolleges.com/online-mechanical-engineering-masters">Online Mechanical Engineering Master's</a>
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College Name & Address | Tuition | Graduation Rate |
---|---|---|
#1 Georgia Institute of Technology 25 North Ave, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 | $14,064 | 87% |
#2 North Carolina State University 2101 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 | $9,095 | 81% |
#3 University of Florida 341 Tigert Hall 300 SW 13th St, Gainesville, Florida 32611 | $10,770 | 90% |
#4 University of Southern California University Park, Los Angeles, California 90089 | $46,272 | 92% |
#5 Johns Hopkins University 3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 | $55,350 | 93% |
#6 Boston University One Silber Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 | $54,720 | 88% |
#7 Stanford University Stanford, California 94305 | $52,479 | 94% |
#8 Columbia University West 116 St and Broadway, New York, New York 10027 | $47,600 | 96% |
#9 University of California, Los Angeles 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, California 90095-1405 | $11,442 | 91% |
#10 Purdue University Hovde Hall of Administration, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 | $9,208 | 81% |
#11 Worcester Polytechnic Institute 100 Institute Road, Worcester, Massachusetts 01609 | $28,188 | 87% |
#12 Colorado State University 102 Administration Building, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 | $10,520 | 71% |
#13 University of Washington 1400 NE Campus Parkway, Seattle, Washington 98195 | $18,198 | 84% |
#14 Case Western Reserve University 10900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio 44106 | $46,524 | 85% |
#15 University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 601 E John Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820 | $14,997 | 84% |
#16 Lehigh University 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 | $27,000 | 87% |
#17 Texas A&M University JKW Administration Building, Suite 200, College Station, Texas 77843 | $6,677 | 82% |
#18 University of Virginia 1827 University Avenue, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903 | $16,578 | 94% |
#19 University of Wisconsin, Madison 500 Lincoln Dr, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 | $10,728 | 87% |
#20 Penn State – World Campus 201 Old Main, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 | $21,960 | 85% |
Source – Integrated Post Secondary Education Data System & University Data
*Tuition rates are for in-state and per year. Program specific rates may apply.
**NA – data not available
It takes savviness to navigate an online master’s in mechanical engineering program. How can you meet admissions requirements, complete the required curriculum, and round up support for paying your tuition and fees? This section outlines the path to success.
Students may opt to specialize in a sub-field in their mechanical engineering degree to best-fit their career interests. A concentration may also prepare them to engage in focused post-graduate studies. The following three specializations may not be available at all universities but they’re out there. Often they are not an ME concentration, but rather an engineering program unto themselves.
Area of Focus | Description | Careers This Concentration Prepares For |
---|---|---|
Aerospace Engineering | The concentration in aerospace engineering prepares graduates for a niche role in designing aircraft and spacecraft. Courses cover control systems, fluid dynamics, combustion, and robotics. | Materials and process engineers, systems test engineers, stress analysis engineers. |
Industrial Engineering | Industrial engineering is the study of production processes to improve efficiency, cost-control systems, and the integration of workers, materials, energy systems, and machinery. The focus may include supply chain and safety issues. | Financial and operational planners, industrial product engineers, industrial designers. |
Manufacturing Engineering | The concentration in manufacturing engineering focuses on the process of designing and creating cost-efficient manufacturing systems and monitoring their operations. They are called upon to oversee quality management. | Process engineers, manufacturing test engineers, biotech engineers |
Admission requirements are established by the graduate school and the engineering department. They may vary slightly from university to university. Here are some of the more-common application components among the ME programs:
The following courses are a sample of studies covered in a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering online:
How much time does it take to complete an online master’s in mechanical engineering degree? That depends largely on the number of credits required for graduation and whether the student commits to full-time attendance or part-time studies. Here are some things to consider:
Why would you want to earn a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering online?
Online ME programs mesh conveniently with the student’s current family or employment obligations. Self-paced courses allow students to accelerate their time to complete the degree.
On average, how many credits does it take to graduate from an online Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering?
Programs usually require 30-33 credit hours for graduation.
What might impact the length of an online degree?
The number of credits a student can complete a semester directly impacts the timeline to graduation. Full-time online programs can be completed from two to four years. Accelerated, self-paced programs can be completed in as little as one and a half years depending on the student’s commitment and stamina.
Mechanical Engineering a lucrative field with great salaries, even at entry level. The field is very diverse, and it has many branches to that comes with many career titles. Here are some career titles and salaries for graduates of online mechanical engineering master’s programs:
Job Title | Average, Entry-Level | Average, Mid-Level | Average, Senior-Level | Average, Late Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mechanical Engineer | $62,387 | $79,352 | $90,217 | $100,321 |
Industrial Engineer | $60,695 | $77,603 | $84,200 | $88,295 |
Aerospace Engineer | $68,942 | $92,007 | $108,637 | $134,147 |
Materials Engineer | $66,683 | $84,693 | $95,829 | $118,755 |
Source: Payscale.com
Tuition and costs for an online master’s of mechanical engineering program can be daunting. One of the best ways to foot the cost is through scholarships that do not require repayment. There are other great options to finance your education, including loans and grants, university research/teaching assistantships, and employer tuition reimbursements.
Teaching and Research Assistantships | Employer Tuition Reimbursement | Loans and Grants |
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University mechanical engineering departments offer a limited number of assistantships to help graduate students pay for tuition or their cost of living. Federal Work-Study (FWS) positions are offered on the basis of financial need, academic proficiency, and research interests. | Engineering employers may agree to reimburse their mechanical engineering workers for tuition toward a graduate degree. In return, the employer gains an engineer with advanced skills. They also may receive a tax break. There may be requirements for the employee to work a set period of time after graduation. | Graduate engineering students can qualify for federal and state grants designated for funding their research. Federal graduate loans backed by the government Direct-PLUS or Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. For information on Direct-PLUS programs, visit the Federal Student Aid website. |
ME scholarships pay for full tuition and research costs. They are awarded on the basis of student merit, research projects, and faculty recognition. A few weigh financial need as a criterion. The list below provides a sampling of online master’s in mechanical engineering scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
Grad mechanical engineering students can vastly increase their reach to educational and research resources. The listings below offer ME libraries, continuing education courses, job boards, discussion forums, scholarship listings, and practical tools for getting the job done.
Let’s help you find the right online master’s degree. You can browse through thousands of schools and their online programs. Start exploring the top 20 best online master’s programs now.