College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s

385 Ranked Colleges
36,809 Degrees Awarded
$64,776 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2020-2021, 46,178 people earned their degree in mechanical engineering, making the major the 21st most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, mechanical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $69,007 and had an average of $23,944 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 36,809 mechanical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking analyzed 385 colleges that offered a degree in mechanical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular mechanical engineering programs in the United States.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More ME Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s”.

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this large public school handed out 510 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Iowa State University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. Iowa State University is a large school located in Ames, Iowa that handed out 451 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Central Florida. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. UCF is a large school located in Orlando, Florida that handed out 445 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UCF

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas A&M University - College Station. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. Texas A&M University - College Station is a large school located in College Station, Texas that handed out 400 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Full Texas A&M University - College Station Mechanical Engineering Report

5
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Purdue University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s. Purdue University - Main Campus is a public institution located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The school has a large population, and it awarded 395 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Mechanical Engineering Report

6
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Tech landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 376 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Virginia Tech Mechanical Engineering Report

7
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. UF is a large public school situated in Gainesville, Florida. It awarded 373 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at UF

8
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. UA is a large school located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that handed out 343 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Full The University of Alabama Mechanical Engineering Report

9

University of Maryland - College Park came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. UMCP is located in College Park, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 331 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at University of Maryland - College Park

10

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is a large school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan that handed out 316 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

11
Texas Tech crest
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. Located in Lubbock, Texas, this large public school handed out 305 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Texas Tech Mechanical Engineering Report

12
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. Mines is located in Golden, Colorado and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 299 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

13

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #13. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a public institution located in San Luis Obispo, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 293 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

14
Clemson crest
Clemson University
Clemson, South Carolina

Clemson University ranked #14 on this year’s Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Clemson, South Carolina, and it awarded 288 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Clemson

15

With a ranking of #15, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 287 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of California - Irvine Mechanical Engineering Report

16
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina, and it awarded 285 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full NC State Mechanical Engineering Report

17
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

With a ranking of #17, Oregon State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Corvallis, Oregon, this large public school handed out 281 degrees to qualified bachelors’s ME students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Full Oregon State University Mechanical Engineering Report

18
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

With a ranking of #18, Michigan State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. Michigan State is a public institution located in East Lansing, Michigan. The school has a large population, and it awarded 279 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Michigan State

18
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Wazzu is located in Pullman, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 279 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Washington State University Mechanical Engineering Report

20

With a ranking of #20, The University of Texas at Austin did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. UT Austin is a large school located in Austin, Texas that handed out 274 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at UT Austin

20
University at Buffalo crest
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York

University at Buffalo landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University at Buffalo is a public institution located in Buffalo, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 274 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full University at Buffalo Mechanical Engineering Report

22

Arizona State University - Tempe landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Tempe, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s ME degrees to 273 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at ASU - Tempe

23

Michigan Technological University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Michigan Technological University is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 263 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Technological University

24

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. OSU is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 256 bachelors’s ME degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at OSU

25
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama

Auburn University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Auburn, Alabama, and it awarded 252 bachelors’s ME degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Mechanical Engineering at Auburn

Rest of the Best 50 in Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
UH crest
University of Houston
Houston, Texas
27
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
27
30
31
Kettering crest
Kettering University
Flint, Michigan
32
32
32
35
35
37
38
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts
39
39
KSU Georgia crest
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, Georgia
39
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
42
43
43
45
46
46
48
49
UCONN crest
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Most Well Attended ME Major for a Bachelor’s

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Wisconsin - PlattevillePlatteville, WI
52Georgia Southern UniversityStatesboro, GA
53University of South Florida - Main CampusTampa, FL
54California State University - FullertonFullerton, CA
55University of Massachusetts AmherstAmherst, MA
56Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS
57University of Puerto Rico - MayaguezMayaguez, PR
58University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh CampusPittsburgh, PA

Switch to a Similar Major

General Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for General Engineering

Agricultural Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Agricultural Engineering

Biomedical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Biomedical Engineering

Chemical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering

Computer Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Computer Engineering

Engineering Mechanics
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Mechanics

Engineering Science
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Science

Materials Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Materials Engineering

Mining Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Mining Engineering

Nuclear Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Nuclear Engineering

Petroleum Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Petroleum Engineering

Textile Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Textile Engineering

Construction Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Construction Engineering

Industrial Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Industrial Engineering

Operations Research
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Operations Research

Geoscience Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Geoscience Engineering

Electromechanical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Electromechanical Engineering

Biochemical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Biochemical Engineering

Biological Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Biological Engineering

Energy Systems Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Energy Systems Engineering

Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering

Architectural Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Architectural Engineering

Ceramic Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Ceramic Engineering

Civil Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Civil Engineering

Electrical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Electrical Engineering

Engineering Physics
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Physics

Environmental Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Environmental Engineering

Metallurgical Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Metallurgical Engineering

Marine Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Marine Engineering

Ocean Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Ocean Engineering

Systems Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Systems Engineering

Polymer & Plastics Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Polymer & Plastics Engineering

Forest Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Forest Engineering

Manufacturing Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Manufacturing Engineering

Surveying Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Surveying Engineering

Paper Science & Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Paper Science & Engineering

Robotics Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Robotics Engineering

Engineering Chemistry
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Engineering Chemistry

Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Other Engineering
Most Popular Bachelor's Degree Colleges for Other Engineering

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options