15 Best Schools For Mechanical Engineering 2024

Have you ever wanted to build your robot or maybe even build an aeroplane or a ship? Well, that’s just a small handful of things you could get to work on as a mechanical engineer. But before you get to sink your teeth into the fun stuff, you’ll need a degree. So to help you on your journey, we’ve put together a list of the 15 best schools for mechanical engineering programs. 

Explore Best Schools for Mechanical Engineering

Explore the best schools for mechanical engineering and set out on an inventive and precise journey into the world of educational greatness. Discover the knowledge-driven machinery that powers these establishments, where cutting-edge technology and practical experience collide. Come along on this educational journey where limitless possibilities collide with engineering brilliance!

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

QS Rank: 1

Location: 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $50,000-$60,000, while a master's degree costs around $25,000 - $30,000 

Unsurprisingly, MIT tops the list as consistently being one of the best schools for mechanical engineering. MIT’s mechanical engineering department is one of the most advanced and best-developed in the world. The program is dedicated to finding ways to improve and help many different fields, such as health, security, energy and sustainability. One of their recent projects involves using machine learning to try and enhance the growth of seaweed in the oceans. 

Prepare for studying at one of the top mechanical engineering schools with our Boston Student City Guide! Do not forget to check out these student housing options in Boston to find a great place for your stay.

2. Stanford University

QS Rank: 5

Location: 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, United States

Degrees offered:  Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $50,000-$55,000, while a master's degree costs around $18,000 - $24,000 

If Gabriella Montez could get into Stanford after spending her senior year in theatre practice, you sure can, too! Stanford University has one of the best schools for mechanical engineering, boasting one of the highest employment rates in the country, with 100% of their graduates reporting that they have found jobs less than a year after graduating. Stanford’s Department of Mechanical Engineering is focused in 4 main fields: human health, design, computational engineering and sustainability. 

3. Johns Hopkins University

QS Rank: 28th 

Location: Baltimore, MD 21218, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $45,000-$50,000, while a master's degree costs around $60,000 - $65,000 

If you want to join the fight against cancer, without a medical degree, JHU is the place for you. Primarily known for its medical programs, JHU is also home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering. Current graduate students at JHU are working with NASA on the Artemis program that aims to send humans to the moon for the first time since 1972. 

4. Duke University

QS Rank: 57

Location: Durham, NC 27708, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees:  An undergraduate degree costs around $50,000-$65,000, while a master's degree costs around $30,000 - $40,000.

Want to take a swing at making Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak? Back in 2012, some magic-obsessed pioneers tried to replicate the cloak using a combination of metamaterials and copper strings to hide an object from sight completely. All this and more await you if you choose to study at one of the best schools for mechanical engineering at Duke University. 

5. University of Pennsylvania

QS Rank: 12

Location: Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $50,000-$55,000, while a master's degree costs around $8,000 - $34,000.

UPenn’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics is one of the best schools for mechanical engineering in the country. If you want to get involved in the latest developments in AI robots, UPenn is the place for you. Their research project involves developing VR gloves that can better combine strength and softness so the user can better experience the feeling of being in a different environment. If you have made up your mind to choose Pennsylvania as your next study destination then you should surely check out these options for student accommodation in Pennsylvania for you.

6. University of Michigan

QS Rank: 33

Location: 500 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States

Degrees offered: BSME, MSME, Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies (SUGS), Joint Institute – Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Study (JI-SUGS), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $33,000-$74,000, while a master's degree costs around $14,000 - $28,000.

The University of Michigan is home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering. Currently, a lot of the university’s research is geared towards finding ways to improve the speed and quality of 3D printing to not only save time but also promote the better use of resources. The university’s PhD programs are also fully funded and their graduate and undergraduate programs are known for being very hands-on. 

7. Cornell University

QS Rank: 13

Location: Ithaca, NY 14850, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $60,000-$62,000, while a master's degree costs around $29,000 - $32,000.

A soft robot with Wolverine’s ability to self-heal - that’s what engineers at Cornell’s Sibley School of Mechanical Engineering are working on. With this scale of innovation, it's safe to say that Cornell is home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering. The school is always pushing barriers as far as they can go and finding new ways to help improve our quality of life. 

8. University of Notre Dame

QS Rank: 304

Location: Holy Cross Dr, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $55,000-$60,000, while a master's degree costs around $30,000 - $32,000.

Building prosthetics, harvesting thermoelectric energy and using nanotech to promote stem cell growth - are just a few of the things that the geniuses at the Notre Dame School for mechanical engineering and Aerospace are working on. Undoubtedly one of the best schools for mechanical engineering in the world, going to Notre Dame would be a dream come true for many. 

9. Northwestern University

QS Rank: 47

Location: 633 Clark Street; Evanston, IL 60208

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $60,000-$62,000, while a master's degree costs around $20,000 - $25,000.

Northwestern University’s McCormick School is not only known for having one of the best schools for mechanical engineering, but it is also famous for its flexible curriculum. Students have the opportunity to create their plan of study for their time at the university so they can spend time learning what interests them. Researchers at the university are currently working on building high-performance robots with a strong focus on haptics. 

10. Carnegie Mellon University

QS Rank: 52

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $60,000-$70,000, while a master's degree costs around $50,000 - $55,000.

Have you ever considered the possibility of using turmeric root in microneedles to help fight a plethora of skin diseases and promote cell growth? Well, if you did, then Carnegie Mellon’s engineering school is certainly the place for you. The university is home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering and is constantly pushing the boundaries of medicine, energy, robotics and AI. 

11. Columbia University

QS Rank: 23

Location: 116th and Broadway, New York, NY 10027, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $60,000-$65,000, while a master's degree costs around $50,000 - $55,000.

Columbia has one of the best schools for mechanical engineering and is dedicated to finding practical solutions to help improve the quality of life by making advancements in the fields of health and safety. Columbia’s Department of mechanical engineering is currently at the forefront of developing revolutionary AI technology by discovering the fundamentals of AI - a necessary step in any new scientific discovery. Check out these student housing options for a great and comfortable stay in the city.

12. Washington University

QS Rank: 154

Location: 1 Brookings Dr, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees:  An undergraduate degree costs around $55,000-$60,000, while a master's degree costs around $35,000 - $45,000.

Washington University is home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering and together with partners in the fields of biomedical engineering, energy, environmental, chemical, chemistry, physics, biology, and medicine, faculty members and students work on interdisciplinary projects. The university is currently researching to help the search for climate-friendly energy sources. 

13. Rice University

QS Rank: 180

Location: 6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $50,000-$55,000, while a master's degree costs around $35,000 - $40,000.

Rice University is home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering in the country and has an extremely sought-after program. The university is known for having a diverse faculty that is at the forefront of innovation and invention. In 2022 alone, 6 of their faculty members received the NSF Career Awards, proving that they are the best in their fields. 

14. University of Florida

QS Rank: 168

Location: Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree 

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $28,000-$35,000, while a master's degree costs around $18,000 - $32,000.

The university’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE )is one of the best schools for mechanical engineering in the country and is also the campus's largest academic programme. The department conducts research for some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, like NASA, the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. 

15. University of California Los Angeles

QS Rank: 29

Location: Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME), Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME), Doctorate Degree

Tuition fees: An undergraduate degree costs around $40,000-$50,000, while a master's degree costs around $30,000 - $45,000. 

UCLA is home to one of the best schools for mechanical engineering in the country. It is incredibly sought after by students from all across the globe, not only because it's one of the top mechanical engineering programs but also because of the extremely sought-after west-coast weather. The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is perhaps best known for its biomechatronics lab that is at the centre of innovation in the field of robotics. 

That was the list of some of the best schools for mechanical engineering in 2024. We’ve tried our best to outline everything you need to know about each school’s programs and some of the highlights of their research. We hope you’ve found this blog helpful and wish you all the best on your journey.