{"id":4816,"date":"2025-02-06T15:13:42","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:13:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/?p=4816"},"modified":"2025-07-23T16:01:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T23:01:05","slug":"what-can-you-do-with-a-mechanical-engineering-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacific.edu\/blog\/2025\/02\/06\/what-can-you-do-with-a-mechanical-engineering-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"What can you do with a mechanical engineering degree?\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Getting a mechanical engineering degree<\/a> is a great springboard into a career in almost any technical field. It\u2019s a broad discipline with skill sets needed across a wide array of industries: public utilities, consumer products, automotive manufacturing and more.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is also a growing demand for mechanical engineers. Over the next decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> estimates an 11% employment increase through 2033\u2014much faster than average. Because there\u2019s such a need for mechanical engineers, average annual salaries also tend to be strong.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical engineering is about more than the pay and the labor market, though. It\u2019s an integral part of pushing technology forward, whether it\u2019s life-saving medical technologies or cutting-edge robotics.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re thinking about a career in mechanical engineering, here\u2019s what you need to know.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is mechanical engineering?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Generally, mechanical engineering focuses on the study and application of physics and movement. Using these principles, engineers design, develop and fabricate tools, machines, engines and similar devices.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What mechanical engineering looks like in practice depends heavily on the industry. Controls engineering, for example, deals with technology that controls or regulates other technology.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an automotive company, controls engineers might work on a car\u2019s automated systems. In manufacturing, on the other hand, they might instead work on designing, maintaining or optimizing automated production lines. And in aerospace engineering, controls engineers may work on internal systems for aircraft, spacecraft and satellites.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the strength of mechanical engineering, the versatility of it,\u201d said Professor Kyle Watson, the chair of University of the Pacific\u2019s mechanical engineering department. \u201cLooking at what our students do on CO-OP, there are medical device companies, electronics companies, paving equipment, companies that design and build pavers. It\u2019s a huge range of applications and opportunities that are opened up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, you\u2019ll have plenty of space to pursue your own engineering passions through your class choices, internships and personal projects.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think mechanical is great for people who are very nitpicky and technically inclined,\u201d said mechanical engineering graduate student Madi Wilcox. \u201cI like to tell people it\u2019s like the jack-of-all-trades. You could go into any of the engineering fields because it\u2019s a very general major.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do I need to be good at math to be an engineer?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A solid understanding of mathematics is essential for understanding engineering concepts. There\u2019s no getting around that. If you already enjoy the subject, that could be a sign you\u2019re meant for engineering.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, you can still go into engineering even if math isn\u2019t your strongest subject. If you\u2019re still in high school, be sure to take all core math classes offered. If available, calculus or Advanced Placement calculus can do a lot to prepare you for college math.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you think math is difficult, you should seek extra help. You\u2019ll want to speak with your teachers, who may be able to give you extra support. Your school may also have staff or peer tutors who can help you crack those tougher concepts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also have access to similar resources in college, too. Professors and instructors hold office hours each week where you can ask questions about class or homework.  Most universities also have academic support centers that offer drop-in or scheduled tutoring, taught by high-achieving peers or graduate students.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re going to be paying for school, you should take advantage of the resources available to you,\u201d said mechanical engineering major Felipe Rodarte. \u201cIf office hours are available, go to office hours if you need help. There are study groups, the student support center. There are a lot of resources out there that people don\u2019t take advantage of.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may also consider help from outside your university, like private or online tutoring. These options can tailor their teaching to your specific needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Industrial engineering vs. mechanical engineering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to manufacturing, it can be easy to confuse industrial with mechanical engineering. Both fields are concerned with the machines and devices used for production. Often, both are working to optimize those systems.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key difference between the two is the scale. While mechanical engineers are concerned with the individual machine, industrial engineers are concerned with how all the machines work as a unit. Their job is to oversee all facets of production, drawing upon their technical knowledge to make better decisions affecting the whole manufacturing process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical engineering jobs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As we mentioned earlier, the next decade is looking bright for mechanical engineers. Their employment is projected to increase by 11%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared to the average rate for all professions of 4%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pay for mechanical engineers depends heavily on the industry they\u2019re in, but it\u2019s generally quite strong. If you consider all industries, the average yearly salary hovers around $80,000 per year, according to the website Payscale<\/a>. It\u2019s worth noting that graduates from Pacific actually tend to outperform this metric<\/a>, with annual salaries averaging over $100,000 in the first decade of their career.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across various industries, there are many roles which employers look to mechanical engineers to fill.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maintenance engineer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Maintenance engineers play an essential role for businesses that rely on industrial machinery and technical equipment, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and is operated according to safety regulations. They\u2019re also responsible for handling system-wide maintenance and repair processes.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to differentiate between maintenance engineers and maintenance technicians. Technicians are generally the people who do routine maintenance on equipment. Maintenance engineers deal with big picture issues: making sure a facility\u2019s machinery runs optimally, training staff, managing budgets, planning system upgrades and so on.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not to say that maintenance engineers don\u2019t get their hands dirty. They will often be involved in installing new equipment, running diagnostics on important equipment or handling major repairs. Depending on the company, some maintenance engineers may also carry out the duties of a technician.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HVAC Engineer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever cranked on the air conditioning on a hot summer day, then you should thank an HVAC engineer. Short for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, HVAC systems control indoor temperature and air quality.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HVAC engineers are the people who design, maintain or improve those systems. They\u2019re essential for the construction of new buildings, taking into account the structure itself, its design, energy costs and the needs of future occupants.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A school has very different HVAC needs than an apartment building. They also generally have very different budgets and may not adhere to the same safety and building codes. On top of all that, HVAC engineers need to know how a building\u2019s design affects its air flow, heat load and heat loss. They\u2019ll also oversee the system\u2019s installation and ensure it works as intended.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They may provide other services, too, like evaluating how well an already-installed HVAC system works and recommending improvements.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other career options<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Mechanical engineering is one of the widest disciplines in engineering, and there are plenty of other roles that you could pursue, including:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n