Mechanical Engineering Technology

Types of Degrees Mechanical Engineering Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many mechanical engineering/mechanical technology/technician graduations there were in 2019-2020 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	1,948
Associate Degree	1,346
Basic Certificate	448
Undergraduate Certificate	51

What Mechanical Engineering Technology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to ME tech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for ME Tech Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills for ME Tech Majors

ME tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Abilities for ME Tech Majors

As a ME tech major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a Mechanical Engineering Technology Major?

People with a ME tech degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Automotive Engineering Technicians	5.0%	$56,250
Mechanical Engineering Technicians	5.0%	$56,250

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 89% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of ME tech majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	44
Black or African American	79
Hispanic or Latino	207
White	867
International Students	34
Other Races/Ethnicities	115

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in ME Tech. About 2.5% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Mechanical Engineering Technology Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

ME Tech majors often go into careers with median salaries of $58,240. This median refers to all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Mechanical Engineering Technology

Some careers associated with ME tech require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to ME tech have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	3.7%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	18.3%
Some College Courses	4.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	29.0%
Bachelor’s Degree	38.3%
Master’s Degree	6.7%

Online Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs

In 2019-2020, 237 schools offered a ME tech program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	49	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	175	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	2	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a ME tech grad is $58,240 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 46% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $366,800 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Mechanical Engineering Technology

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to ME tech.

Major	Number of Grads
Automotive Engineering Technology	1,170
Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology	1,052
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies, Other	614
Marine Engineering Technology	58

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.