Top Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs in the South
Updated
Regional list from Best Programs in Mechanical Engineering Technology
This page ranks the 11 Mechanical Engineering Technology programs in the South by median earnings of Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing. University of Houston ranks 1st on this list, reporting median earnings of $84,692 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $78,160, with a range from $84,692 to $47,260.
Public institutions account for 10 of the 11 programs, or 91% of the list. University of Houston ranks 13th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. Fairmont State University posts the lowest average net price, at $9,032.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | $84,692 | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
| University of Houston ranks 1st on this list and 13th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, reporting $84,692 in median earnings for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | LeTourneau University · Longview, TX | $83,158 | $28,185 | $22,785 | 38.0% |
| LeTourneau University, a private nonprofit university in Longview, admits 38% of applicants and reports median earnings of $83,158 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA | $83,083 | $15,048 | $12,235 | 69.2% |
| Kennesaw State University reports median earnings of $83,083 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, and completers who borrowed left with a median of $23,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 4 | Virginia State University · Petersburg, VA | $80,902 | $15,840 | $13,220 | 88.6% |
| Virginia State University posts an admission rate of 89% and median earnings of $80,902 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $15,840. | |||||
| 5 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $80,138 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
| With median earnings of $80,138 four years after completing, University of North Texas ranks 5th on this list and shows an average net price of $15,649. | |||||
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $78,160 | $15,435 | $10,357 | 79.6% |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte reports median earnings of $78,160 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, and its program completers who borrowed left with a median of $25,750 in federal loans. | |||||
| 7 | Tarleton State University · Stephenville, TX | $77,044 | $20,783 | $15,574 | 89.6% |
| Tarleton State University admits 90% of applicants, and its Mechanical Engineering Technology completers who borrowed left with a median of $20,000 in federal loans alongside median earnings of $77,044 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · Stillwater, OK | $76,400 | $17,447 | $12,243 | 75.0% |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus ranks 8th on this list, with median earnings of $76,400 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $17,447. | |||||
| 9 | Fairmont State University · Fairmont, WV | $75,569 | $9,032 | $8,434 | 98.6% |
| Fairmont State University carries the lowest average net price on the page at $9,032, and its Mechanical Engineering Technology completers who borrowed left with a median of $19,279 in federal loans. | |||||
| 10 | South Carolina State University · Orangeburg, SC | $63,129 | $18,097 | $16,846 | 82.6% |
| South Carolina State University reports median earnings of $63,129 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $31,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 11 | Tennessee State University · Nashville, TN | $47,260 | $15,796 | $15,005 | 70.1% |
| Tennessee State University ranks 11th on this list, with median earnings of $47,260 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,796. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the South appear. The figures reflect federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled. For 1 of the 11 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from University of Houston to the bottom of the list is $37,432, with only $1,534 separating University of Houston and LeTourneau University.
Job market context in the South
Graduates of Mechanical Engineering Technology programs in the South enter a labor market that includes occupations such as Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, and Mechanical Drafters. The median annual wage across those occupations is $51,642, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $39,693. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 34,120 openings a year, or about 6,104 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 8.1% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, a different measure from the occupational wage figures reported here.
Related rankings
- Best Colleges in the South
- Best Engineering Technology Colleges for Social Mobility in the South
- Engineering Technology Colleges in the South