Mechanical engineering is a really diverse field with a foundation in mechanics, energy and heat, mathematics, engineering sciences, design and manufacturing.
Mechanical engineers may focus on the motion of anything from a particle to a machine or complex structure. They research, design, develop, manufacture, and test tools, engines, machines, and other mechanical devices – of all sizes! They might work on power-producing machines such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines. They also work on power-using machines such as refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, machine tools, material-handling systems, elevators and escalators, and industrial production equipment. Over the course of their careers some choose managerial roles and oversee the work of other engineers on large-scale efforts.
What makes it unique?
Mechanical engineers are extremely versatile! A mechanical engineering degree is an excellent foundation for work in many fields. Some mechanical engineers work on medical problems, such as the mechanics of bones and joints, or the fluid dynamics of the circulatory system. Mechanical engineers deal with economic issues, from the cost of a single component, to the economic impact of a manufacturing plant.
Degree Connections
The following are examples of some accredited degrees leading to a career in mechanical engineering:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
Search our global database of accredited engineering programs.
Want to learn more?
Click on the blue tabs to explore the field in more detail and learn about preparation and employment, the green tabs to be inspired by people working in mechanical engineering and how they impact the world, and the orange tabs for ideas on how to learn more and you can get involved with activities, camps, and competitions!
Explore
A Day in the Life
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Most mechanical engineering projects are multi-disciplinary, so these engineers generally work in teams with others both inside and outside of the company they work for. Project life cycles may also call for different skills and people at different stages, so there really is not a typical day. For a large installation, there will be various planning and design stages, followed by development, installation, and testing. Some projects may have a timeline of multiple years. Mechanical engineers may be called to react to an immediate problem, or be working on a long-term segment of a larger effort.
Historical Snapshot
The Elevator:
The earliest known reference to an elevator indicates that Archimedes built his first elevator around 236 BC. This was probably managed by a hemp rope that was powered by animals.
At the 1854 World’s Fair in New York, Elisha Otis hoisted a platform high above a crowd and then cut the cable with an ax. The crowd was relieved when his safety device halted the fall. He installed the first passenger elevator in New York, and the company Otis Elevators remains an elevator developer to this day!
Needless to say, mechanical engineers have made great progress in improving the efficiency of these machines that have allowed buildings all over the world to be able to rise further into the sky. (There is a limit to how many flights of stairs people are willing to climb!)
Explore more technical details:
Industries and Employment
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Mechanical engineers are capable of working in many industries. For example, they are involved in all aspects of the production and conversion of energy from one form to another. Safety and engineering management are also areas a mechanical engineering might focus upon. In addition, transportation is large field for mechanical engineers. There isn’t a car, plane, or rocket that didn’t require the expertise of mechanical engineers!
Mechanical engineers might also concentrate on system development and designs, for example fluid or electromechanical power systems. They are heavily employed in manufacturing processes where they come up with solutions to help companies develop and create new products. Basically, wherever you find machines you will find mechanical engineers creating new equipment, refining prior designs, or innovating new solutions!
Mechanical engineers can find employment around the world in government and research facilities, such as NASA, and also with large firms specializing on providing mechanical engineering solutions to clients. The following is just a sample of some companies, outside of government, so you can explore the type of projects worked on globally:
Preparation and Degrees
For most engineering careers:
- a bachelor’s degree is required
- a master’s degree may be recommended for those specializing or interested in management
- students may also start with a related associate degree and then move on to a bachelor’s when they have settled on a degree path.
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- many students are required to participate in a co-op program while at university to gain real world experience in their chosen field.
- education doesn’t really stop…engineers need to stay current as technology changes and materials and processes improve over time.
- many professional societies offer certificates and coursework to support continuing education for their members.
At the undergraduate level, mechanical engineering courses might include fluid dynamics, materials science, robotics, manufacturing processes, system, management, thermodynamics and heat transfer.
It is important to select an engineering degree that has been accredited to meet basic standards. Find out more and browse TryEngineering’s global database of accredited engineering and computing programs.
Be Inspired
Amazing Engineers!
One of the best ways to explore what it might be like to work in mechanical engineering is to learn about people currently working in the field.
The following links offer more chances to see what people are doing in the field of mechanical engineering:
- Nivay Anandarajah is a mechanical engineer with Alloy Product Development who shows us the process of designing headphones for Beats by Dre, which was recently acquired by #Apple for $3.2 billion.
- Burt Dicht, TryEngineering Live: Engineer Spotlight, a mechanical engineer who was lead engineer for Northrop Grumman and Rockwell Space Transportation Systems Division, and now supports educational activities at IEEE.
- Nancy Fitzroy, the first female president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers—the first woman to head a major national engineering society.
- Brianne Martin, a mechanical engineer with her own engineering consulting firm describes what mechanical engineers do.
Explore more from ASME (US) Mechanical Engineers: People Making History, and read profiles of mechanical engineers from IMechE, UK.
Global Impact
It is hard to think of an invention that has impacted as many products and industries around the world as the electric motor. An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Electric motors are powered in a variety of ways…by direct current (DC) sources (a battery is an example) or alternating current (AC) such as via a town’s power grid. Because there are so many different applications, they are also distinguished by what they are used to do, and how they are cooled – by air or liquid.
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But very simply, they provide mechanical power for individual or industrial use. The largest ones power ships as an example. But they are found in so many items, from fans, to power tools, to assembly line robots, to home appliances, and even in watches. An electric generator is basically the opposite of a motor, as it converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. These are used to power a home during a local power outage, or provide off grid power to homes and buildings. The video to the right explains a little more technically about how they work!
For other global applications, explore the annual MIT Mechanical Engineering Research Exhibition, where students present mechanical engineering projects that have global impact!
Find out more:
Get Involved
Keep Learning
Dig deeper into topics related to mechanical engineering that interest you! We’ve arranged a few links below, but think about what interests you about mechanical engineering and explore on your own as well!
Explore:
- European Union: Mechanical Engineering Impact
- Institution of Mechanical Engineers guide to mechanical engineering
- ITryEngineering News Blog: (placeholder)
Watch:
Try it Out:
- Play some games that involve engineering! (placeholder)
- Try one of the TryEngineering lessons that focus on mechanical engineering:
Competitions and Events
Clubs, competitions, and camps are some of the best ways to explore a career path and put your skills to the test in a friendly-competitive environment.
Clubs:
- Many schools have robotics clubs or garage clubs where students build cars and robots for competitions. This is a great way to get some early mechanical engineering experience.
Competitions:
- ASME EFx is a flagship event at colleges and universities around the world.
- ASME Engineering Festivals are a series of three-day events, plus a year-round digital experience, for engineering undergraduate students across the globe.
- Institution of Mechanical Engineers Design Challenge gives first and second year undergraduates a taste of the ‘real world’ of engineering, challenging them to design, create, present and run a device to a strict technical specification.
- Institution of Mechanical Engineers Apprentice Automation Challenge provides a brilliant opportunity for talented apprentices to compete in an innovative design and manufacturing challenge to improve an everyday home or garden device.
Camps:
- TryEngineering Summer Institute, US: Attend the TryEngineering Summer Institute to further your core engineering skills.
- RWTH Engineering Summer School Programs, Germany: 2, 3, or 4 week programs for undergraduate students, who completed their first academic year, with option to focus on mechanical engineering.
- STEM II Program at Brown, US: students are invited to “define, investigate, excel” in this rigorous two-week program with tech theme in mechanical engineering.
Many universities offer summer engineering experiences. Reach out to your local university’s engineering department to see what they offer.
Local Connections
Did you know you can explore mechanical engineering in your community? Consider all the products in your home that have motors!
- How many can you find in your home? In your kitchen? In your garage?
- Do any of these motors need to be maintained or repaired over time?
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- What is the largest and smallest motor you can find in your home?
- For the smallest motor, what challenges do you think the mechanical engineering designers needed to overcome in order or the product to work? What about the challenges for the largest one? Could it be smaller do you think? Why is the size of a motor important?
- Consider the motor in a car…does it need to be maintained? How? Why? Do you think a new motor could be developed that requires no maintenance?
Find out more:
- Explore motor maintenance tips
- US Department of Energy: How does an internal combustion engine work?
Groups and Associations
Be sure to reach out to professional societies focused on mechanical engineering where you live. Not all will offer membership to pre-university students, but most offer groups for university students, and certainly offer online resources to help you explore the field.
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A nice example is ASME FutureME, a member-based community tailored to early career engineers (millennials, graduate students and young professionals with 0-10 years of work experience).
Some examples of groups focusing on mechanical engineering:
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, US
- Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, Canada
- Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society, China
- IMechE: Institution of Mechanical Engineers, UK
- Institution of Mechanical Engineers, India
- Mechanical EngineeringIndustry Association, Germany
- The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Japan
Preparation and Degrees
For most engineering careers:
- a bachelor’s degree is required
- a master’s degree may be recommended for those specializing or interested in management
- students may also start with a related associate degree and then move on to a bachelor’s when they have settled on a degree path.
- many students are required to participate in a co-op program while at university to gain real world experience in their chosen field.
- education doesn’t really stop…engineers need to stay current as technology changes and materials and processes improve over time.
- many professional societies offer certificates and coursework to support continuing education for their members.
At the undergraduate level, mechanical engineering courses might include fluid dynamics, materials science, robotics, manufacturing processes, system, management, thermodynamics and heat transfer.
It is important to select an engineering degree that has been accredited to meet basic standards. Find out more and browse TryEngineering’s global database of accredited engineering and computing programs.
Some resources on this page are provided or adapted from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Career Cornerstone Center.