2024 Best Mechanical Engineering Master's Degree Schools in Illinois
If you pursue a master's degree in
mechanical engineering, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #29 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.
In 2024, College Factual analyzed 7 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Mechanical Engineering Master's Degree Schools in Illinois ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 276 master's degrees in mechanical engineering to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Choosing a Great Mechanical Engineering School for Your Master's Degree
Your choice of mechanical engineering for getting your master's degree school matters. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.
A Great Overall School
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Early-Career Earnings
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on mechanical engineering students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of mechanical engineering students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for mechanical engineering to pay back their student loans after receiving their master's degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized mechanical engineering related body.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for mechanical engineering students working on their master's degree.
More Ways to Rank Mechanical Engineering Schools
The me school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Mechanical Engineering Master's Degree Schools in Illinois.
Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Mechanical Engineering in Illinois
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for mechanical engineering students seeking a a master's degree.
Top Illinois Schools for a Master's in ME
It's hard to beat Northwestern University if you want to pursue a master's degree in mechanical engineering. Located in the small city of Evanston, Northwestern is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Soon after graduating, me master's recipients typically make an average of $84,295 in their early careers.
More information about a master’s in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in mechanical engineering has to take a look at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. UIUC is a fairly large public university located in the city of Champaign.
Master's recipients from the mechanical engineering degree program at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign get $5,201 more than the average college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a master’s in mechanical engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Illinois Institute of Technology is a wonderful decision for students pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering. Illinois Tech is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Chicago.
Master's students who receive their degree from the me program earn around $77,411 for their early career.
More information about a master’s in mechanical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology
University of Illinois at Chicago is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a master's degree in mechanical engineering. Located in the city of Chicago, UIC is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their master's from the me program report average early career wages of $72,619.
More information about a master’s in mechanical engineering from University of Illinois at Chicago
Located in the suburb of Dekalb, NIU is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Mechanical Engineering master's degree recipients from Northern Illinois University get an earnings boost of approximately $7,798 above the typical income of mechanical engineering majors.
More information about a master’s in mechanical engineering from Northern Illinois University