Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor of Science
WPI students in engineering lab
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Engineer Your Future with a Mechanical Engineering Degree @ WPI

At a Glance

School & Department

School of Engineering
Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering

STEM-Designated Degree

Qualifies international students for extended U.S. work authorization through Optional Practical Training (OPT)

BS/MS Available

Accelerated five-year program

ABET Accredited 

Ensuring program meets highest engineering standards

Proven Career Success

Average Starting Salary: $78,480 (Bachelor's degree graduates)* 

Notable Employers: SpaceX, Boeing, Boston Scientific, GE Aerospace, Lockheed Martin** 

*WPI Class of 2024 First Destination Survey **WPI First Destination Survey data (2020–24) 

Application Deadlines

Early Decision/Early Action I: Nov. 1 

Early Decision/Early Action II: Jan. 5 

Regular Decision: Feb. 1 

Explore This Degree

Options

Program Options

Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Science + Master of Science

Customize Your Path

Concentrations

Tailor your degree with concentrations or customize it with electives. The options available let you specialize in a domain that interests you. 

Potential Minors

Want to strengthen your mechanical engineering degree with complementary skills? Consider a minor that aligns with your interests:

  • Business
  • Data Science
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Mathematics
Continue Your Studies
MS in Mechanical Engineering
PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Undecided? No problem. Apply now and explore before committing to a specific path. 

13:1

student-to-faculty ratio 

235+

student clubs and organizations

94%

of first-year students return for their sophomore year

#15

best career placement

The Princeton Review (2025)
#63

best mechanical engineering program

U.S. News & World Report (2024)
Top 15%

best colleges for engineering in America

Niche (2025)
Why WPI

What Makes WPI's Degree in Mechanical Engineering Distinct

WPI's project-based mechanical engineering degree prepares you for the manufacturing and innovation challenges of tomorrow.  

Through WPI's immersive seven-week terms and hands-on project work, you will pursue pathways to:

Design

mechanical systems using thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer

Launch

functional prototypes with advanced manufacturing and materials testing 

Analyze

complex engineering problems through hands-on experimentation

BUILD

a professional portfolio of completed projects at one of our 50+ project centers worldwide

 

CUSTOMIZE

your expertise by choosing a mix of electives or a concentration to match your interests

Collaborate

with teams across disciplines to develop solutions for today's complex challenges

Resources & Tech You'll Tap Into

WPI Students working with 3D Printing

3D-Printing Lab

Use rapid prototyping to build functional parts directly from your CAD files for course projects and research.
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xWPI student in Metal Processing Institute Lab in metal processing suit

Metal Processing Institute

Work with industry-grade heat treatment, casting, and surface engineering equipment at North America's largest industry-university materials alliance.
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Autonomous vehicle

Autonomous Vehicle Mobility Institute (AVMI)

Design and test vehicle systems using modeling, simulation, and hybrid testing facilities for autonomous mobility research.
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Research Opportunities 

  • Advanced materials design and characterization 
  • Heat treatment and thermochemical surface engineering 
  • Sustainable manufacturing and materials recycling 
  • Autonomous vehicle design and control systems 
  • Lithium-ion battery production and recycling 
Projects

Project-Based Learning Experiences

Apply mechanical engineering theory and practice from day one. Build a professional portfolio with real work that matters.

At WPI, learn in an immersive environment where classroom concepts transform into hands-on projects, thanks to our intensive, seven-week terms. Complete increasingly advanced projects for industry partners and community organizations, both local and global. Present your solutions directly to organizations that will implement what you create.  

Below, explore real projects completed by mechanical engineering students at WPI.

WPI students building project wood prototype

Global Mechanical Engineering Solutions

Students developed irrigation systems using recycled materials that boost food security for 200+ Ghanaian cocoa farming families.
đź“ŤAkyem Dwenase, Ghana

Students partnered with the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology to develop interactive displays on sustainable water management to 5,000+ annual Lake Stechlin visitors.
đź“ŤBerlin, Germany

Local Community Partnerships 

Students analyzed and redesigned cleaning protocols that cut production time by 30% at Headwall Photonics' Fitchburg manufacturing facility.

Teams built alert systems and communication protocols for Massachusetts' Department of Environmental Protection to notify residents within 2 hours of sewer system overflows.

Industry-Sponsored Projects

Students engineered protective mechanisms and maintenance protocols that extend medical endoscope lifespan by 40% for Karl Storz Endoscopy.

Students built a compact, transportable steel casting system with modular components that produce military-grade steel parts on-site for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Skills

Skills You'll Gain

Through WPI's mechanical engineering degree, you'll gain the technical expertise and hands-on experience to design machines, optimize systems, and engineer solutions that power industries from aerospace to medical devices.

Explore opportunities to build skills such as:

Mechanical Systems Design & Analysis 

  • Apply statics, dynamics, and stress analysis to design and evaluate mechanical components and assemblies using industry-standard CAD tools.
  • Integrate mechanical design principles to create functional prototypes that meet performance, safety, and manufacturing requirements.

Thermal-Fluid Systems Engineering 

  • Analyze thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer to design energy-efficient systems for HVAC, power generation, and manufacturing.
  • Model and optimize thermal systems using computational tools and experimental validation techniques.

Materials Selection & Manufacturing 

  • Select appropriate materials based on mechanical properties, cost, and application requirements for product development.
  • Apply manufacturing processes and quality control methods to transform designs into production-ready components.

Professional Excellence 

  • Lead interdisciplinary project teams through complex engineering challenges while managing budgets, timelines, and stakeholder requirements.
  • Communicate technical findings through professional design documentation, reports, and presentations that meet industry standards.

Student Voice

"Project-based learning at WPI has given me the opportunity to apply the skills I learn in coursework and experience real-world teamwork dynamics. Building a robot, designing a sterling engine, and configuring a home heating/cooling system has taught me to use my studies to solve tangible engineering problems." —Gabriel Espinosa '24, BS in Mechanical Engineering 

Gabriel Espinosa ’24
Gabriel Espinosa ’24
BS in Mechanical Engineering

Gabriel works to pursue his passion for sustainability and engineering through WPI’s clubs and hands-on learning experiences. [...]

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Career

Mechanical Engineering Career & Salary Outlook

Career Path 

Industry Sector 

Entry Level (0–5 years) 

Mid-Level (5–10 years) 

Senior Level (10+ years) 
Aerospace Engineering  Research & Development Aerospace Engineer 
$78K 		 Senior Aerospace Engineer 
$117K 		 Chief Aerospace Engineer 
$179K 
Mechanical Engineering  Enterprise  Mechanical Engineer 
$75K 		 Senior Mechanical Engineer 
$113K 		 Director of Engineering 
$173K 
Biomedical Engineering  Research & Development Biomedical Engineer 
$82K 		 Senior Biomedical Engineer 
$123K 		 Director of Biomedical Engineering 
$189K 
HVAC Systems  Enterprise  HVAC Systems Engineer 
$71K 		 Senior HVAC Engineer 
$107K 		 Director of Facilities Engineering 
$164K 
Manufacturing Engineering  Enterprise Manufacturing Engineer 
$76K 		 Senior Manufacturing Engineer 
$114K 		 Director of Manufacturing 
$175K 
Product Design  Research & Development Mechanical Design Engineer 
$79K 		 Lead Design Engineer 
$119K 		 Director of Product Design 
$182K 

Salary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Preview
Cost

Financing Your Future

College is a great investment in your future—and we’re here to help you plan for it. Explore WPI’s cost of attendance and learn how our Office of Financial Aid can guide you through options for funding your education. 

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Start Building Your Future Today

WPI's simple formula helps students thrive: "Go to class. Do the work. Ask for help." With our mechanical engineering degree, you'll gain the expertise, experience, and network to engineer solutions that improve lives. 

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