2027 Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in South Carolina
Mechanical Engineering programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their mechanical engineering programs.
For its 2027 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for mechanical engineering students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Mechanical Engineering in South Carolina
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the mechanical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Mechanical Engineering
Our analysis ranked Clemson University the best school in the country for a degree in mechanical engineering. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Clemson. The six-year graduation rate is 87%. Clemson University awarded about 350 mechanical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their mechanical engineering degree from Clemson University earn around $76,932 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $24,125 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson University
University Of South Carolina Columbia came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best mechanical engineering schools. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public institution. Roughly 79% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 135 mechanical engineering students who graduated with this degree at University Of South Carolina Columbia in the most recent data year. Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of South Carolina Columbia earn a median of $72,370 early in their careers. University Of South Carolina Columbia graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans.
Get the full mechanical engineering details for University Of South Carolina Columbia
University Of South Carolina Aiken came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best mechanical engineering schools. Located in the suburb of Aiken, University Of South Carolina Aiken is a moderately-sized public university. University Of South Carolina Aiken graduates 40% of students within six years. About 20 mechanical engineering degrees were awarded at University Of South Carolina Aiken in the most recent year. Students who receive their mechanical engineering degree from University Of South Carolina Aiken earn around $42,220 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,011.
See the full mechanical engineering program report for University Of South Carolina Aiken
A rank of #4 makes Citadel Military College Of South Carolina one of the top schools for mechanical engineering. Citadel Military College Of South Carolina is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Charleston. About 75% of students finish within six years. Citadel Military College Of South Carolina awarded about 53 mechanical engineering degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their mechanical engineering degree from Citadel Military College Of South Carolina earn around $52,602 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in mechanical engineering from Citadel Military College Of South Carolina
Francis Marion University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Florence, Francis Marion University is a mid-sized public institution. Francis Marion University graduates 43% of students within six years. About 11 mechanical engineering degrees were awarded at Francis Marion University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Francis Marion University generally make around $41,456. Francis Marion University graduates carry a median of $30,577 in student loans.
Read more about the mechanical engineering program at Francis Marion University
More Mechanical Engineering Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 5 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.
