2025 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Mechanical Engineering
The cheapest online master’s in mechanical engineering offers an affordable and flexible way to deepen your expertise in mechanical systems, robotics, and thermodynamics without pausing your career. These fully online master's programs are ideal for engineers looking to upskill or pivot within the field.
Key Takeaways:
- Kennesaw State University ranks #1 for affordability, offering its online mechanical engineering master’s for just $5,895.
- The University of Cincinnati leads in salary, with a median salary of $111,605 among mechanical engineering graduates.
- The University of Missouri stands out with a 99% recommendation rate based on student surveys we collect.
All programs are fully online from institutionally accredited schools. Rankings are based on manually verified tuition — see our methodology for details.
2025 Most Affordable Online Master's Degrees in Mechanical Engineering
| Rank | School | Location | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw (GA) | $5,895 | |
| University of Missouri | Columbia (MO) | $6,825 | |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa (AL) | $7,200 | |
| University of New Mexico | Albuquerque (NM) | $9,067 | |
| Texas A&M University - Kingsville | Kingsville (TX) | $9,140 | |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla (MO) | $9,500 | |
| New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology | Socorro (NM) | $9,806 | |
| University of Florida | Gainesville (FL) | $10,350 | |
| University of Houston | Houston (TX) | $11,175 | |
| Northern Arizona University | Flagstaff (AZ) | $11,430 | |
| University of North Dakota | Grand Forks (ND) | $11,971 | |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan (KS) | $12,600 | |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati (OH) (and 1 other) | $13,540 | |
| Texas Tech University | Lubbock (TX) | $13,644 | |
| University of Idaho | Moscow (ID) | $38,258 |
Student Reviews of Online Mechanical Engineering Programs
I am on the West coast so Johns Hopkins online program works out great for me. I would not have been able to attend otherwise. The program is flexible and challenging. I am learning a lot from the courses so far. The online program uses the blackboard website for structure.
Review Date: 9/26/2016
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
The school offers challenging and rewarding classes to help prepare for engineering jobs. The campus is not in the best area of town, but I did all of my classes online, so that did not bother me. I love the accessibility of having all classes offered for distance learning!
Review Date: 1/14/2015
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
Pros: Everyone now has a Bachelor's degree so pursuing a master's degree would increase my chances of getting a job. Graduate programs allow you to focus on what you are interested in and you gain a lot of knowledge from it. Most classes are offered online so I can work full time while pursuing a master's degree. Cons: It adds to your expenses. Career is now limited to your focus in the graduate program. Some jobs consider graduate students over qualified.
Review Date: 3/8/2016
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
I am a distance education student, and I believe NCSU's DE program is phenomenal! There are teachers who really care about the success of the students; however, they make it fairly difficult as well. The only con I can think of is the limited number of classes offered every semester. Hopefully this will change as the DE program continues to expand.
Review Date: 3/7/2014
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
Great graduate professors that are more than willing to work with the students to help achieve their academic and career goals. Sometimes the online classes can be difficult to understand.
Review Date: 5/9/2013
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
I chose to go back to Kettering for my MSME because the learning delivery allowed me to be flexible on when and where I learned. I am pleased that my current professor is concerned that I learn the material and how I will apply it in the work environment. Even though the class is distance learning, the professors are easily contacted via email or by phone. They will give you the help that you need as much as you need to make sure that you do well. After being out of school for 6 years, the work is... Read More
Review Date: 3/5/2013
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
The Purdue Engineering Professional Education Program (Engineering Management and Leadership Concentration) is great for people who do not have time to go back to school full time. It has allowed me to continue to work and meet my higher education goals. I would recommend this program for professionals only.
Review Date: 8/12/2013
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
One of the biggest pros for the Rowan University Masters in Engineering Management program is that it was designed by senior full-time faculty taking into consideration the short and long-term needs of the engineering industry. Additionally, the faculty members chosen to be instructors are all subject-matter experts, so there is tremendous practical value in addition to the academics. Despite being an online course of study (which is extremely convenient for a married father of three who travels... Read More
Review Date: 1/5/2015
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
This school GENUINELY cares and understands the needs of international students, best decision I ever made was coming to this school. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, their degree programs are also well tiered especially the higher level degree programs to various concentrations in industry and academia.
Review Date: 6/25/2019
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
The engineering program at Drexel University is both rigorous yet satisfying. It builds character, discipline, and self-motivation for job(s) you may obtain in the future. It demands the students to go above and beyond what is required of them. It's not always set in stone which is why satisfied.
Review Date: 9/21/2016
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: Yes
It has an afordable price thanks to the finacial help of the university. It has a really diverse an multicultural staff whith many different points of view. It is not a well known university so the graduate program has not a big add value
Review Date: 1/12/2015
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
Graduate program supports part time and full time students the commute is a little harsh but worth it
Review Date: 5/6/2015
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
As an undergrad Binghamton University offered many clubs and organizations to be a part of. One called SHPE(Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) had annual job conferences with the likes of Ford, Boeing, GMC, Lockheed Martin and many more recruiting. Another club I was a part of SAE(Society of Automotive Engineers ) sponsored a team of 11 plus myself to design, build and race an off road baja style car. This in addition to a very diverse student body and amazing research opportunities has... Read More
Review Date: 6/20/2017
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
It's a very small but tight knit Private institution. The ratio of student to teachers is 15:1. If the student is happy with such a small number of class ratio then it is good option to come to University of fBridgeport. There is a large number if diversity visible in the campus as students from 80 countries come to study. Professors are highly educated and affiliated to NASA, Sikorsky and many top institution, which can help a student in their project and master thesis. Overall the college has a... Read More
Review Date: 6/13/2017
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: Yes
I've been at Marquette for two years and just completed my Masters. I love the campus, the people I work with, and the faculty. It's a great place to study.
Review Date: 5/20/2015
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: No
ASU provides you with immense opportunities for students to develop necessary social and technical skills to succeed in your career and in life. ASU has one of the most diverse student communities in the country, promotind exposure multiple cultures from around the world.
Review Date: 6/30/2017
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: Yes
University of Michigan is the home of great talent and resources in every field (Law, Business, Engineering, Arts, etc). Problems can be approached in a multidisciplinary way. Michigan hosts a lot of world-class researchers whom students can approach for cutting-edge knowledge. Also, Ann Arbor is a great place to do entrepreneurship. From Llamasoft, to BitBrew and Neurable, great companies have been founded in this area. Moreover, Michigan is the epicenter of the next revolution in Autonomous Vehicles.... Read More
Review Date: 3/11/2017
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: Yes
The professors are very accessible, the research topics span a broad range of disciplines, and the degree is an excellent stepping stone. In my case, this masters will prepare me for law school and an eventual career in patent law. However, there is an almost irreconcilable flaw in the department that has hindered my experience here. Although the department advertises assistantships for all masters and PhD students, it is not reflective of what actually occurs. In reality, very few members of faculty... Read More
Review Date: 2/2/2016
Would Recommend: No
Helpful for Career: No
I liked my undergrad program, and I think getting my masters in a year with the 4+1 program was a great opportunity. Furthermore, the ability to get a masters degree for free by being a TA for a year is a great deal if you can swing it. I did have a few really bad teachers, but I also had some who were amazing. It evened out in the end. I think the biggest issue would be not learning a few skills that are more applicable in industry. GD&T is a good example of this. I think there should be a required... Read More
Review Date: 6/19/2017
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: Yes
I felt my experience with ASU could best be described as balanced. I attended for both my bachelors and masters degrees and the 4+1 program that allowed for an accelerated opportunity to get the masters was a great opportunity as it was easy on the wallet, especially as a TA that pair for the year of school. The curriculum was challenging, but not overwhelming, the social life allowed for every individual to find like minded individuals, and the research and networking opportunities is perhaps the... Read More
Review Date: 8/7/2017
Would Recommend: Yes
Helpful for Career: Yes