Best Schools for Mechanical Engineering Technology in 2026
22 schools ranked by TSW Score · Updated 2026
These are the top schools offering Mechanical Engineering Technology, ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Mechanical Engineering Technology graduate earns $43,887/yr across 22 schools.
Programs Ranked
22
Avg Earnings
$43,887/yr
Avg TSW Score
56/100
AI-Proof Rating
Resilient
32% task exposure
All Mechanical Engineering Technology Programs Ranked
Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.
| # | School | TSW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Los Angeles Trade Technical College
Los Angeles, CA · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
77
73–78 |
$66,574/yr | 536.8x |
| 2 |
Owens Community College
Perrysburg, OH · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
66
63–67 |
$61,021/yr | 62.3x |
| 3 |
Springfield Technical Community College
Springfield, MA · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
64
61–65 |
$54,793/yr | 56.1x |
| 4 |
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
63
61–64 |
$62,282/yr | 44.7x |
| 5 |
Tidewater Community College
Norfolk, VA · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
70
67–71 |
$54,461/yr | 105.0x |
| 6 |
Sinclair Community College
Dayton, OH · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
65
63–66 |
$48,312/yr | 69.3x |
| 7 |
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Okmulgee, OK · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
60
58–61 |
$49,674/yr | 46.7x |
| 8 |
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Cincinnati, OH · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
64
57–65 |
$45,873/yr | 65.8x |
| 9 |
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
57
52–58 |
$56,819/yr | 28.3x |
| 10 |
Seminole State College of Florida
Sanford, FL · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
57
55–58 |
$36,453/yr | 55.5x |
| 11 |
University of Akron Main Campus
Akron, OH · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
55
51–56 |
$52,177/yr | 25.4x |
| 12 |
International Air and Hospitality Academy
Vancouver, WA · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
55
52–56 |
$46,762/yr | — |
| 13 |
ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
55
52–56 |
$64,003/yr | 16.3x |
| 14 |
Crowder College
Neosho, MO · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
55
53–56 |
$33,816/yr | 53.7x |
| 15 |
Stark State College
North Canton, OH · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
52
50–53 |
$35,362/yr | 42.0x |
| 16 |
Brookdale Community College
Lincroft, NJ · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
52
48–54 |
$35,805/yr | 39.7x |
| 17 |
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
Tulsa, OK · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
52
49–53 |
$42,386/yr | 26.9x |
| 18 |
Middle Georgia State University
Macon, GA · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
49
47–50 |
$25,531/yr | 56.6x |
| 19 |
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
Tulsa, OK · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
47
44–48 |
$41,370/yr | 11.1x |
| 20 |
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
Wichita, KS · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
46
40–48 |
$21,427/yr | 69.4x |
| 21 |
New Community Career & Technical Institute
Newark, NJ · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
37
34–38 |
$15,085/yr | — |
| 22 |
University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla
Aguadilla, PR · Mechanical Engineering Technology |
32
29–33 |
$15,520/yr | 12.0x |
Methodology
Programs are ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (projected earnings vs. program tuition).
Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school for Mechanical Engineering Technology?
Based on our TradeSchoolOutlook Score, Los Angeles Trade Technical College ranks #1 for Mechanical Engineering Technology with a score of 77/100 and graduate earnings of $66,574/yr.
How much do Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates earn?
Across 22 schools, Mechanical Engineering Technology graduates earn an average of $43,887/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $66,574/yr.
Is Mechanical Engineering Technology an AI-proof career?
Mechanical Engineering Technology has an average AI task exposure of 32%, rated "Resilient". This trade is resilient to AI disruption — most tasks require physical presence and human judgment.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034
(employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE.
Last updated 2025.