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Research mechanic education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a research mechanic. Research mechanics usually study mechanical engineering, automotive technology, or sociology. 57% of research mechanics hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 75 real research mechanic resumes to see exactly what research mechanic education sections show.
The most common colleges for research mechanics are the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh.
There are also many online research mechanic courses to help get the education required to be a research mechanic.
What education do you need to become a research mechanic?
What degree do you need to be a research mechanic?
- Bachelor's, 57%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 11%
- Doctorate, 7%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a research mechanic?
- Sociology, 5%
- Engineering, 5%
- Other Majors, 43%
Most common colleges for research mechanics
| Research mechanic common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh | 12.00% |
| University of Colorado at Boulder | 8.00% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 8.00% |
| University of Utah | 8.00% |
| University of Connecticut | 4.00% |
Best majors for research mechanics
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mechanical Engineering | 39.5% |
| 2 | Automotive Technology | 7.0% |
| 3 | Sociology | 4.7% |
| 4 | Engineering | 4.7% |
| 5 | Industrial Technology | 4.7% |
Best colleges for research mechanics
The best colleges for research mechanics are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
A research mechanic with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for research mechanics. 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 research mechanics.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
3. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
7. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
20 best online courses for research mechanics
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Top 10 most affordable universities for research mechanics
The most affordable schools for research mechanics are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and florida international university.
If the best universities for research mechanics 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 research mechanics.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
7. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
8. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. 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
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for research mechanics
The hardest universities for research mechanics to get into are Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University.
Some great schools for research mechanics 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 research mechanics 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. California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,566
3. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
6. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
7. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for research mechanics
The easiest schools for research mechanics to get into are Oregon Institute of Technology, saint cloud state university, and texas a&m; university - corpus christi.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a research mechanic 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 research mechanics.
1. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
2. Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, MN • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
1,086
3. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,068
4. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
5. Purdue University Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, IN • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,080
6. Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,093
7. Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
957
8. Saint Francis University
Loretto, PA • Private
Admissions rate
75%
SAT average
1,146
9. Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,111
10. Pennsylvania State University - Berks
Reading, PA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,107
Average research mechanic salary by education level
| Research mechanic education level | Research mechanic salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $81,439 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $73,224 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $76,804 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $78,005 |
Research mechanic education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025