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Mechanical engineering professor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a mechanical engineering professor. Mechanical engineering professors usually study mechanical engineering, engineering, or civil engineering. 65% of mechanical engineering professors hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 176 real mechanical engineering professor resumes to see exactly what mechanical engineering professor education sections show.
The most common colleges for mechanical engineering professors are the University of Houston and the University of Houston.
There are also many online mechanical engineering professor courses to help get the education required to be a mechanical engineering professor.
What education do you need to become a mechanical engineering professor?
What degree do you need to be a mechanical engineering professor?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 21%
- Doctorate, 7%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a mechanical engineering professor?
- Engineering, 5%
- Other Majors, 19%
Most common colleges for mechanical engineering professors
| Mechanical engineering professor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Houston | 7.14% |
| University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point | 7.14% |
| University of California, Berkeley | 7.14% |
| Colorado State University | 7.14% |
| Brigham Young University | 7.14% |
Best majors for mechanical engineering professors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 69.3% |
| 2 | Engineering | 5.2% |
| 3 | Civil Engineering | 3.9% |
| 4 | Aerospace Engineering | 3.3% |
| 5 | Industrial Technology | 2.6% |
Best colleges for mechanical engineering professors
The best colleges for mechanical engineering professors are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
A mechanical engineering professor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for mechanical engineering professors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become mechanical engineering professors.
1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
7. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for mechanical engineering professors
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19. Learn AutoCAD 2023- 21 Mechanical 2D and 3D Complete Course
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Top 10 most affordable universities for mechanical engineering professors
The most affordable schools for mechanical engineering professors are United States Merchant Marine Academy, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for mechanical engineering professors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for mechanical engineering professors.
1. United States Merchant Marine Academy
Kings Point, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$1,080
Cost of attendance
6,646
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Socorro, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,770
Cost of attendance
21,244
5. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
9. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for mechanical engineering professors
The hardest universities for mechanical engineering professors to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Some great schools for mechanical engineering professors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for mechanical engineering professors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
3. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
4. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
5. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
6. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for mechanical engineering professors
The easiest schools for mechanical engineering professors to get into are Texas A&M; University - Kingsville, the university of texas at el paso, and oregon institute of technology.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a mechanical engineering professor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for mechanical engineering professors.
1. Texas A&M University - Kingsville
Kingsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,035
2. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
3. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
4. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
5. Washington State University
Pullman, WA • Private
Admissions rate
77%
SAT average
1,123
6. Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Buzzards Bay, MA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,127
7. Lamar University
Beaumont, TX • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,043
8. The University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,046
9. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
10. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
Average mechanical engineering professor salary by education level
| Mechanical engineering professor education level | Mechanical engineering professor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,327 |
| Doctorate Degree | $67,266 |
Mechanical engineering professor education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025