Earning a degree in mechanical engineering doesn’t have to take you away from home. Many colleges and universities offer the program completely online. If you have always wanted to get your degree but can’t or don’t want to travel to and from campus, online education is the ideal choice, You can complete your degree according to your daily schedule. This is the kind of freedom that many students are deprived of.
Why Earn An Online Mechanical Engineering Degree?
A Mechanical Engineering degree gives you access to more job opportunities than you would have in many other fields. With this type of degree, you can seek employment with a medical equipment or auto manufacturer. You also have the option of a mining company or countless other types of companies. Many people with this degree go on to work as an airline pilot, astronaut, or a drafting technician.
Other career possibilities include Military Officer, Patent Agent, or an International Aid Worker. You could also choose to work as a toy designer, test technician, or product/project manager. With so many possibilities, this is a great degree for anyone who hasn’t settled on a career choice yet. The outlook for those with a degree in mechanical engineering is positive. Between 2020 and 2029, it has been predicted that job opportunities in the mechanical engineering field will rise by 4%. In order to take advantage of this uptick, it is best to keep your knowledge of technology current at all times.
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Massachusetts – Lowell (60 ponts) | Lowell, Massachusetts |
| 2 | The University of Alabama (70 Points) | Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| 3 | Indiana State University (100 points) | Terre Haute, Indiana |
| 4 | University of North Dakota (90 points) | Grand Forks, North Dakota |
| 5 | Texas A&M University (50 points) | College Station, Texas |
Top 15 Best Schools For An Online Mechanical Engineering Degree
Almost every school offers a Mechanical Engineering degree, but not all of them offer the program online. Here are the best online colleges and universities that do.
University of Massachusetts – Lowell (60 ponts)
At the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, you can earn a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering completely online. Students who enroll in the Francis College of Engineering can take all12 courses and choose to concentrate their studies on Design and Manufacturing, Operations and Supply Management, or Engineering Services/Infrastructure Management.
School Overview
The University of Alabama (70 Points)
The University of Alabama’s College of Continuing Studies makes it easy to earn a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering online. What makes their program stand out from that of other schools is that it includes teaching students all about energy conservation in relation to the machines they’ll be working on. The program also provides students with a thorough knowledge of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.
School Overview
Indiana State University (100 points)
Students that study for a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Indiana State University focus on both management and design. When it comes to management, students learn how to use systems and resources. When it comes to design they learn about the products, machines, and tools used in a mechanical engineering career. Everyone enrolled in this program also studies machine design elements, tools, and design, engineering analysis, and cooperative industrial practice.
The program gets students ready to work in installations, maintenance, design, and evaluation. It is set up to be very friendly to students transferring from other schools.
School Overview
University of North Dakota (90 points)
Students that study Mechanical Engineering at the University of North Dakota have a lot of options available to them. The most ambitious students simultaneously earn their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, with only one extra year of classes necessary. For those who are only studying for a Bachelor’s degree, they can choose from four different concentrations; Aerospace Engineering (though this requires extra credits to be earned,) Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Materials, or Thermal Sciences.
Before they have even graduated, students have the option of participating in the school’s co-op engineering program. This allows them to obtain paid jobs with companies that include:
Honda
Xcel Energy
Energizer
Their engineering education at the University also includes design projects backed by companies such as Arctic Cat, 3M, and even NASA.
School Overview
Texas A&M University (50 points)
In the J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University students will complete the same program online that their peers complete on campus. They can earn a Masters of Engineering and have the option of specializing in one or more relevant areas of technology. Those who are enrolled in the program are required to put together a portfolio to be reviewed by the University. The portfolio must include impressive, highly researched studies as well as assignments graded by their professors.
School Overview
Missouri University of Science and Technology (100 points)
Students have flexibility when studying for their Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The degree is suitable for those who want to work (or already do,) in fields like bioengineering, aerospace engineering, manufacturing, and many more.
This program allows students to study:
Composite materials and structures
Manufacturing automation
Energy conversions
control systems
Those enrolled in the program have the option of earning a thesis or non-thesis degree.
School Overview
University of Southern California (70 points)
In the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California, a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering can be earned entirely online. Students can pursue a customized M.S. degree, or choose from one of several specializations: Energy Conversion, Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics, Dynamics and Control, and Product Development Engineering. A dual degree option in Engineering Management is also available.
Students that complete this degree program are in an excellent position to continue their education by studying for a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, making it a great program for extremely ambitious degree candidates.
School Overview
Columbia University (60 Points)
Columbia University gives students a lot of flexibility when studying for their Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. They have two choices when it comes to their curriculum; Standard Track or a specialization. Students that follow the Standard Track can choose the order they take courses in. Others prefer to concentrate on one of the offered specializations, with options like:
Robotics and Control
Biomechanics
Micro/Nanoscale Engineering
Energy Systems
Some of these specializations are ideal for students who want to make a career out of performing industry-specific and academic research.
School Overview
Mississipi State University (80 points)
The Mississipi State University online program for Master’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering gives students the option of completing a thesis or passing on the opportunity to do so. The catch is that those who choose not to complete a thesis have six additional hours of coursework they have to complete to earn their degree. Either way, students are required to give an oral presentation before they can graduate.
School Overview
University of Idaho (90 Points)
The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Idaho offers a Master’s of Mechanical Engineering. The Engineering Outreach program allows students to earn their degrees from home. Unlike many other University programs, this one doesn’t impose a thesis on students as a condition of graduation. Those that earn this degree are qualified to work in industrial settings as a project engineer or manager.
School Overview
University of Wisconsin – Madison (100 points)
The College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison offers a Master’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Students are presented with two options for completing the program. They can choose between the Independent Study or Thesis Tracks. Those students that choose the Independent Study Track gain more hands-on experience concerning research within the field than those who choose the Thesis track instead.
This school is of particular interest to students that want to focus their studies on polymer science and are training for a career in the plastics industry, which is one of the faster-growing manufacturing industries in the U.S.
School Overview
Colorado State University (100 Points)
At Colorado State University, students can earn a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. The program is geared towards those with a particular interest in materials engineering, something that many Master’s programs do not. Those studying for this degree can pursue further training in areas like Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, Advanced Composite Materials, and Metals and Alloys. Students that complete this program often go on to work in fields such as automotive design, and healthcare.
School Overview
North Carolina State University (80 Points)
Students who study Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University must enroll in the school’s thesis program in order to complete their degree online. The school’s program is ideal for those who want to focus on analysis and manufacturing, or mechanical and thermal systems design. There are many specialties students can choose from, including Experimental Mechanics, Combustion, Dynamic Systems, and Control, Fluid Dynamics, and Biomechanics, among many others.
School Overview
Villanova University (70 Points)
The Master of Science in Engineering program at Villanova University focuses on dynamics and controls, thermal sciences, and mechanics, and materials. Students can also choose to take courses in nanotechnology and bioengineering. Those who have graduated from this program went on to work for companies like Ford, The Boeing, and Lockheed Martin.
School Overview
Texas Tech University (80 Points)
In the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University, Master’s of Mechanical Engineering students initially focus on either mechanics, design, or materials. However, students have the option of choosing additional areas to focus on as they progress through their studies. There are two potential tracks students can take to complete this program; courses only, or report. Those that choose the courses only track will have to take a comprehensive exam and earn a passing score in order to graduate.
School Overview
For more help choosing a school, consult our Degree Finder tool.
Our Ranking Methodology
We took the tuition and acceptance rate for each school on the list and gave them a ranking of up to 50 points for each category. Tuition per semester was calculated by taking the yearly rate and dividing it in half. Most of the schools on the list charge online students the same tuition rate that local students pay.
By adding the score we assign a school’s tuition with the score we assign their acceptance rate, the final ranks are calculated.
Is A Particular Ranking Incorrect?
We do our best to rank each school accurately. according to our criteria. If you find a mistake in the ranking of a school you work for, please make us aware of it so we can correct our mistake immediately.
