Undergraduate Catalog 2008-2009

Mechanical engineers typically work in industry, business, government service, and universities. Most students find employment opportunities at the B.S. level. Master's degrees in mechanical engineering are particularly helpful in seeking positions in research and development. Mechanical engineering graduates may also continue their studies in management, law or medicine. While many students enter industry directly after completing the B.S. program, about 25 percent of our mechanical engineering graduates elect to pursue graduate work in engineering or other fields.

A mechanical engineer helps create products and systems that benefit society. Mechanical engineers design and develop tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical equipment. They are involved with power-producing machines such as internal combustion engines, steam and gas turbines, and jet and rocket engines.

Alumni in mechanical engineering have found employment in the following fields:

• Agricultural implements
• Apparatus for the control of air
• Automotive vehicles and systems of transportation
• Biomedical devices
• Computer-aided design and manufacturing
• Construction equipment
• Control and measurement devices
• Domestic and industrial appliances
• Engines
• Food processing machinery
• Instrumentation
• Machine tools
• Materials
• Power plants
• Robotics
• Safety devices
• Space flight equipment
• Underwater technology
• Water, noise, refuse, and other types of pollution

Salary Information

Salaries range greatly from one occupation, position, and work setting to another. However, according to the 2007 NACE national salary survey for bachelor's degree graduates, mechanical engineering graduates' starting salaries are averaging $54,587.