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 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 the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally. 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, with median earnings of $84,692 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | LeTourneau University · Longview, TX | $83,158 | $28,185 | $22,785 | 38.0% |
| The only private nonprofit institution on the list, LeTourneau University reports median earnings of $83,158 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $28,185. | |||||
| 3 | Kennesaw State University · Kennesaw, GA | $83,083 | $15,048 | $12,235 | 69.2% |
| Kennesaw State University posts median earnings of $83,083 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, alongside a median federal debt of $23,000 among Mechanical Engineering Technology completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 4 | Virginia State University · Petersburg, VA | $80,902 | $15,840 | $13,220 | 88.6% |
| With an admission rate of 89%, Virginia State University reports median earnings of $80,902 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $80,138 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
| University of North Texas ranks 5th on this list, and its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing earn a median of $80,138. | |||||
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte · Charlotte, NC | $78,160 | $15,435 | $10,357 | 79.6% |
| Median earnings of $78,160 for Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing at University of North Carolina at Charlotte match the list median of $78,160. | |||||
| 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 graduates four years after completing earn a median of $77,044. | |||||
| 8 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · Stillwater, OK | $76,400 | $17,447 | $12,243 | 75.0% |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus reports median earnings of $76,400 for its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, with a median federal debt of $22,409 among Mechanical Engineering Technology completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 9 | Fairmont State University · Fairmont, WV | $75,569 | $9,032 | $8,434 | 98.6% |
| Fairmont State University carries an average net price of $9,032, the lowest on the page, and its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing earn a median of $75,569. | |||||
| 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, and its Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing earn a median of $47,260. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. 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