MS in Mechanical Engineering in USA – Top schools, Fees, GRE, TOEFL Requirements

Mechanical Engineering can be considered one of the most evergreen non-diminishing field there is. You can go back in time to the age when wheels were the latest in nouveau inventions and you will realize that Sumerians had some brilliant mechanical engineers among them. This field has it all. It takes the vision of a physicist, the knowledge of a material scientist and the craftsmanship of an engineer to make one.

Their job, summed up in a few words, entails solving practical problems using mechanical and thermal devices. They design machines, they produce them and they also operate them. In some sense, it is the field that has brought about the modern world as we know it.

Mechanical Engineers are and will continue to be extremely invaluable to the economy given their versatility and necessity to be the essential skillsters needed to keep any manufacturing industry, energy resource industry, auto and aircraft industry, and basically any industry with moving parts, running.

This article is an attempt to cover the basic details of getting a Masters in the field of Mechanical Engineering – top schools, their GRE requirements, tuition expected and other essential living costs if one were to pursue the degree in those schools. Quite as expected, the best schools for obtaining the degree, are typically some of the best known schools in the US.

To apply for an MS, you need to fulfill a few requirements as far as training, up to the level of an advanced degree, is concerned. Anyone with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering or Ocean Engineering, with a background of solid mechanics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, materials, design and manufacturing, basic electrics and electromagnetic field is eligible to try on the expert hat.

However if you are lacking in any or all of these fields, the schools also have provisions to complete the pre-requisites before moving on to the graduate level courses. Of course that would mean not only delaying your graduation, or perhaps increasing the workload, but also increasing the cost of enrolling in the credits of the individual courses.

And the pay off is well. Masters in Mechanical Engineering are paid an average of $91,000 based on data gathered from 290,000 employed in the field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The industries which hire ME in the largest numbers cover almost the entirety of all advanced manufacturing and design sectors. Here are some of the industry profiles according to data published by BLS in 2017.

MS in Mechanical Engineering in USA

Top Schools, Application Requirements, GRE / TOEFL, Fees & Expense Summary

 

Industry	Mean Salary
Household Appliance Manufacturing	$88,870
Engine, Turbine and Power Equipment	$81,820
Architectural, Engineering and Related Services	$96,920
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing	$81,720
Scientific Research and Development Services	$102,080
Aerospace	$93,500
Automotive	$85,980
Oil	$122,140
Waste Treatment	$112,570

Source: BLS.gov

It is evident from the compensation data, from BLS, that a Mechanical Engineer is usually very well received by various corporations. It is probably because the aptitude of the students and the training by the University departments are oriented to suit the industries perfectly. And while most of the Universities in the US offer advanced courses and research opportunities in the field, there are some significant premier schools which lead the quality of training.

Here’s a list of the top ten schools for pursuing a Masters in Mechanical Engineering based on data provided by the QS World University Rankings from the year 2018.

Besides a good academic standing, excellent letters from credible recommenders, well written statement of purpose (Read How to write an SoP) and an overall interest in pursuing an advanced degree, you need to still consider the required GRE/TOEFL and possible expenses that might put a heavy dent on your wallet.

The data on tuition fees, GRE, TOEFL, Application fees, Rent and other expenses have been obtained from the individual college websites, US News Rankings and Reviews, MBA Crystal Ball and Numbeo.com.

School	GRE	TOEFL Any one of the IELTS/ TOEFL iBT or PBT	Application Fee	Tuition Expenses	~Rent + Grocery Expenses/Month
MIT	No Minimum (MIT)	IELTS 7.0 TOEFL iBT 100 TOEFL PBT 577	$75	~$50,000/9 months (MIT)	Rent $1200 Food $400
Stanford University	V 159 Q 167 (MBA Crystal Ball)	TOEFL iBT 89 TOEFL PBT 575 (Stanford)	$125	~$55,000/ 9 months (Stanford)	Rent $750 – $1900 Food $380
University of California Berkeley	V 157 Q 165 (MBA Crystal Ball)	TOEFL iBT 90 TOEFL PBT 570 (UCB)	$125	~$28,000/semester (UCB)	Rent $1100 to $1600 Food $460
University of Michigan	80th – 90th Percentile (UMich)	TOEFL iBT 84 (UMich)	$90	~$24,000/full term (Office of Registrar)	Rent $884 – $ 1291 Food $285
Georgia Institute of Technology	V 150 Q 155 Analytical Writing 3.5 (Gatech)	TOEFL iBT 94 TOEFL PBT 580 (Gatech)	$85	~$29,000/year (US News Rankings and Review)	Rent $1260 – $1500 Food $340
Harvard University	No Minimum	TOEFL iBT 80 Additional Information	$105	~$46,500 Full (Harvard)	Rent $1200+ Food $400
California Institute of Technology	No Minimum	No Minimum	$100	~$50,000/year (Caltech)	Rent $700 – $1250 Food $350
Purdue University – West Lafayette	No Minimum (Average Admitted with Q 162) (Purdue)	IELTS 6.5 TOEFL iBT 77 TOEFL PBT (Reading 19, Listening 14, Writing 18)	$75	~$15,000/semester for 8+ credits (Purdue)	Rent $600 – $800 Food $340
Princeton University	V 162 Q 166 (MBA Crystal Ball)	No minimum. If TOEFL iBT Speaking is <27 or IELTS Speaking < 8.0, students will be required to take English placement test at the start of the program.	$90	~$49,000/year (US News Rankings and Review)	Rent $600 – $1000 Food $330
University of California Los Angeles	V > 79th Percentile Q > 92nd Percentile	IELTS 7 TOEFL iBT 87 TOEFL PBT 560	$125	~$32,000/year (UCLA)	Rent $1200 – $1800 Food $340

TOEFL iBT: TOEFL Internet-based Test | TOEFL PBT: TOEFL Paper-delivered Test

These are just the selection of exceptional institutes to pursue ones’ MS, in ME, graduate needs. The recommended course of action would entail familiarizing yourself with the latest research and course structures of any of the many respectable Universities in the US. You can make it easier to choose the program based on your priorities wrt the research, cost of living, availability of financial aid, location of the university and finally the compatibility of the options with your records and requirements.

The list above is a helpful starting point to consider the University expectations, for the candidate applying for an MS graduate degree. It is now for you to consider how your expectations are met!

Good Luck!

Read these related articles:
– All about the top masters programs in the world
– Average cost of studying abroad for Masters degree
– MS in USA eligibility and basic requirements
– Best undergaduate Engineering Schools in the world
– MBA in Canada after Mechanical Engineering
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