Online Education Options for Degrees in Mechanical Engineering
Online educational options are available for those interested in pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. Coursework for this field usually includes exposure to and study of drafting, energy conversion, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, hydraulics, instrumentation and measurement, mathematics, physics, pneumatics, solid mechanics, statistics, and thermodynamics.
Mechanical engineering, like its other cousins in this broad discipline, typically requires a bachelor degree at minimum. It is worth noting that because this is such a hands-on field, people who pursue this degree online will need to undertake internships or apprenticeships so they have practical experience with and understanding of these machines with their many moving parts. Further, undergraduate engineering degrees possess a significantly higher earning potential when compared to most other degrees.
Online education options in mechanical engineering include the following:
- Online Certification in Mechanical Engineering and related fields
- Online Associate degree in Mechanical Engineering
- Online Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering
- Online Master degree in Material Engineering
Degrees in Mechanical Engineering Career and Salary Information
Engineers in this discipline work on power-producing machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, and they are often employed in careers in the following fields: aeronautics, bioengineering, cryogenics, defense, heat transfer, medicine, and manufacturing. It is second only to civil engineering in comparison to its popularity among all engineering fields.
A mechanical engineer degree salary can vary widely in the field based on factors like geographic location and specialization (robotics, aeronautics, defense, manufacturing, etc.). Median annual wages based on years of experience break down as follows: 1-4 years, $50,439-$63,242 ($2017 annual bonus); 5-9 years, $58,994-$77,212 ($2999 annual bonus); 10-19 years, $62,470-$89,033 ($3506 annual bonus); 20+ years, $70,193-$102,926 ($4074 annual bonus).
The most popular cities for mechanical engineers are Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. Additionally, people earn the highest wages in this field not only possess graduate degrees, they also are typically either self-employed or work for the local, state or federal government.