2026 Best Engineering Mechanics Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Engineering Mechanics is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools to find the best for engineering mechanics students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Engineering Mechanics Schools in the Great Lakes Region

Best Schools for Engineering Mechanics in the Great Lakes Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall engineering mechanics education in the Great Lakes Region.

Top Schools in Engineering Mechanics

1

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign
Champaign, IL

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

23 Engineering Mechanics Degrees Awarded

$57,461 Median Starting Salary

University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign tops our 2026 ranking of the best engineering mechanics schools. Located in the city of Champaign, University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign is a very large public university. About 85% of students finish within six years. About 23 engineering mechanics degrees were awarded at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign in the most recent year. Students who receive their engineering mechanics degree from University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign earn around $57,461 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,778. Read more about the engineering mechanics program at University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign

2

University Of Wisconsin Madison
Madison, WI

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

49 Engineering Mechanics Degrees Awarded

$72,612 Median Starting Salary

University Of Wisconsin Madison came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best engineering mechanics schools. University Of Wisconsin Madison is a very large public school located in the city of Madison. Roughly 90% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 49 engineering mechanics students who graduated with this degree at University Of Wisconsin Madison in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, engineering mechanics degree recipients from University Of Wisconsin Madison generally make around $72,612. Typical student debt for the program is $26,432. Read more about the engineering mechanics program at University Of Wisconsin Madison

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.