Prospective mechanical engineers with busy schedules and a need for unavoidable flexibility in their studies can still achieve their dreams through online engineering programs. Several prominent engineering schools across the country offer amazing programs that not only rival traditional campus-based programs but may even be better in some sense.
The purpose of the guide on this page is to introduce students to the very best among these schools. The guide below showcases everything that students need to know to make the right decision, including the names of the institutions, what they have to offer, possible tuition ranges, specific degrees, accreditation status, and more.
Top Online Mechanical Engineering Schools
The following are some prominent online mechanical engineering schools for individuals across the country to consider.
University of Alabama
- Bachelor’s and Master’s in Mechanical Engineering Program
- $399 per credit hour - Bachelor’s
- $480 per credit hour - Master’s
University of Alabama offers an online mechanical engineering program through which candidates can earn a Bachelor of Science degree. The program is as rigorous as one can expect and is very similar to campus-based programs, including the campus-based bachelor’s in mechanical engineering program available at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Candidates will be able to gain the core knowledge and confidence they will need to excel, thanks to 130 credit hours of instruction. The Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET accredits the program.
Graduates may pursue careers in power generation, robotics, automotive engineering, research and development, aerospace, and more. The University of Alabama also offers an online master’s program in mechanical engineering.
Arizona State University
- Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering Program
- $580 per credit hour
Arizona State University offers an online Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering program. This program allows candidates to develop core skills in manufacturing, renewable energy, robotics, and computer-aided design.
Upon graduation, candidates will be prepared for careers in several industries, including heating and cooling systems, robotics, and automotive research, among others. Students participate in 44 total classes and complete 120 total credit hours.
As mentioned on the program page, mechanical engineering is the most diverse and versatile field of engineering, and candidates are encouraged to tap into this flexibility while choosing their specialty. For this reason, the course offers resources covering a range of industries, including aerospace, construction, power, technology, and transportation.
Graduates are typically experts in data science and statistics, engineering design processes, computer programming, testing and validation, and technical writing, among other areas.
University of North Dakota
- Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering Program
- $20,869 per year
Another reputable institution offering an exceptional online engineering program is the University of North Dakota. The school offers a strong Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering program, allowing students to choose between campus and online education.
Estimated completion time is 4 years. During this time, students will receive 128 credit hours of instruction spanning mathematical design, manufacturing and materials, thermal sciences, and more.
As one would expect of such a reputable institution and program, the University of North Dakota’s online mechanical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
By the time they graduate, candidates will have fulfilled the requirements to sit for the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering Examination. This will allow them to pursue a license as a professional engineer in all 50 states.
University of Illinois
- Master of Mechanical Engineering Program
- $18,560 per year
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering program that enables candidates to develop advanced knowledge beyond their undergraduate skills. According to U.S. News & World Report, this program is ranked as the second-best online mechanical engineering master’s degree program in the country.
Overseen by the Grainger College of Engineering, students will learn under the guidance of a renowned faculty with a solid global reputation. They will develop skills in areas from biomechanical sciences and fluid mechanics to applied physics, computational science, heat transfer, applied mathematics, chemistry, and thermodynamics.
Students in the online program will have the opportunity to expand their technical expertise and will receive the same degree as on-campus students.
Accepted applicants have between 1 and 5 years to complete the program. A bachelor’s degree in a related field is a mandatory admission requirement.
University of Southern California
- Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Program
- $572 per credit hour (residents), $1,240 per credit hour (non-residents)
The Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Program available at the University of Southern California (USC Online) provides solid technical education for mechanical engineers regardless of their chosen specialty. Graduates of this program are able to work in an array of industries such as automotive, energy and power, manufacturing and design, transportation, and aerospace.
Offered by the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, candidates may choose between several pathways, including MS in Aerospace Engineering, MS in Mechanical Engineering - Energy Conversion, MS in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering - Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics, MS in Product Development Engineering, and dual degree MS in Aerospace Engineering and MS in Engineering Management.
Accepted applicants who are enrolled full-time can expect to complete the program within one and a half to two years, while those who are enrolled part-time will need around two and a half to 3 years to graduate.
University of Michigan
- Master’s and Doctor of Mechanical Engineering Programs
- $1,234 per credit hour
The online division of the University of Michigan is another amazing destination to study as an engineer seeking a graduate degree. The school is ranked among the top online graduate learning destinations, thanks to academic rigor, expert faculty, and amazing distance-based learning resources.
Prospective students here have the luxury to choose between a series of options such as the online master of automotive engineering program offered by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the master of engineering and doctor of engineering in manufacturing program, and the master of engineering in global automotive and manufacturing engineering program, all of which are also offered by the Department of Engineering.
Accepted applicants can expect to develop a core knowledge of production systems, quality engineering, materials design, safety, health, and ecology, among others.
Columbia University
- Doctor of Mechanical Engineering Program
- $2,700 per Point
Columbia University is a highly respected institution, with an undeniable reputation for excellence. The school offers an online Doctor of Engineering Science training program, providing students with the flexibility to complete a significant portion of their coursework online.
However, the program is a hybrid program, meaning that students still have to attend on-campus sessions, specifically when it’s time to conduct research with their faculty advisor. Of course, candidates must also meet a handful of admission requirements, one of the most important of which is already to have a master’s degree in a related field.
Interested individuals should be aware that this program places a strong emphasis on research and scholarly contributions. This means that after completing the coursework, students will be expected to conduct in-depth research and provide a final dissertation.
Topics of focus range from controls and robotics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, and mechanics of materials to manufacturing, nanotechnology generation, and orthopedic biomechanics.
