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Using science and data we decided to determine which programs offer the best career opportunities for mechanical engineering Majors. Here are the set of the top colleges for mechanical engineering Majors in US for 2021:
  1. Duke University
  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  3. University of Notre Dame
  4. Rice University
  5. Stanford University
  6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
  7. Georgia Institute of Technology
  8. Cornell University
  9. Northwestern University
  10. University of Florida
If you go to one of these schools, chances are, you're not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

25 best colleges for mechanical engineering majors in the US

1. Duke University

Location
Durham, NC
Admission rate: 9%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $93,200

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Location
Cambridge, MA
Admission rate: 7%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $99,600

3. University of Notre Dame

Location
Notre Dame, IN
Admission rate: 18%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $69,700

4. Rice University

Location
Houston, TX
Admission rate: 11%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $68,300

5. Stanford University

Location
Stanford, CA
Admission rate: 4%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $92,800

6. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Location
Ann Arbor, MI
Admission rate: 23%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $55,900

7. Georgia Institute of Technology

Location
Atlanta, GA
Admission rate: 22%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $66,100

8. Cornell University

Location
Ithaca, NY
Admission rate: 11%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $76,300

9. Northwestern University

Location
Evanston, IL
Admission rate: 8%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $71,900

10. University of Florida

Location
Gainesville, FL
Admission rate: 39%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $47,700

11. Vanderbilt University

Location
Nashville, TN
Admission rate: 10%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $61,900

12. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
Admission rate: 30%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $54,700

13. Lehigh University

Location
Bethlehem, PA
Admission rate: 22%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $67,300

14. Lafayette College

Location
Easton, PA
Admission rate: 29%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $58,400

15. Washington University in St Louis

Location
Saint Louis, MO
Admission rate: 15%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $63,400

16. Tufts University

Location
Medford, MA
Admission rate: 15%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $56,600

17. Princeton University

Location
Princeton, NJ
Admission rate: 5%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $73,600

18. Colorado School of Mines

Location
Golden, CO
Admission rate: 49%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $74,700

19. University of Virginia

Location
Charlottesville, VA
Admission rate: 26%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $56,800

20. University of Maryland - College Park

Location
College Park, MD
Admission rate: 47%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $50,100

21. Purdue University

Location
West Lafayette, IN
Admission rate: 58%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $49,000

22. University of Wisconsin - Madison

Location
Madison, WI
Admission rate: 52%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $49,600

23. Case Western Reserve University

Location
Cleveland, OH
Admission rate: 29%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $69,900

24. University of Texas at Austin

Location
Austin, TX
Admission rate: 39%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $52,200

25. Johns Hopkins University

Location
Baltimore, MD
Admission rate: 11%
Mean earning of students 6 years after entry: $68,000

How we determined the best mechanical engineering colleges

We looked at the following data from the NCES (National Center For Education Statistics) and College Scorecard data from ED.gov to understand what mechanical engineering departments offer the best career opportunities:
  • Percentage of Graduating Class That Are Business Majors
  • Mean Earnings After 10 Years
  • Mean Earnings After 6 Years
  • Admission Rate (More selective the better)
  • Average cost of attendance (Lower is better)
  • Median amount of debt
  • Ratio of people working to not working after 10 years