Online master’s in ME climbs to #3

Champaign, Illinois -- U.S. News and World Report has ranked the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s online mechanical engineering master’s degree program as #3 in the nation, moving up one spot from last year.

The U of I shares the #3 spot in a three-way tie with Johns Hopkins University and Penn State University. The degree program and the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering (MechSE) are part of The Grainger College of Engineering, which is ranked #2 overall for online programs and boasts the #1 online engineering program for veterans.

MechSE at Illinois offers a non-thesis professional Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (M.Eng.ME)­—now in its 10^th academic year. The vibrant, robust program prepares new engineers and those already in practice as they advance their careers and address societal challenges. Students can complete the degree entirely online as well as on campus, full-time or part-time. They can select from among six tracks of study or build their own custom track. Online and on-campus courses are taught by renowned mechanical engineering faculty and highly regarded industry experts, bringing their real-world experience to the classroom. 

As a non-thesis, non-research degree, the program is suited as a terminal degree for master’s students who want to augment their undergraduate class learning by shoring up their understanding of theoretical concepts and analytical techniques that can be difficult to master with just one exposure. As a non-research, non-terminal degree it is also well-suited to potential PhD students who know that they want to continue with a research-based PhD but want to augment their understanding of course material first.

MechSE’s M.Eng.ME program has become known for the highly personalized support students receive from day one, no matter how they are enrolled in the program. Students also enjoy a close-knit, diverse community of their peers. Engineers with a professional master’s degree from the University of Illinois are more competitive and see a greater starting salary and improved career trajectory over engineers who hold only a bachelor’s degree. Alumni of the program have launched successful careers at companies like SpaceX, Boeing, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Abbott Laboratories and many others.

The program serves approximately 100 students as of Spring 2025 – including 40 enrolled online – reflecting significant growth every year since its launch in 2015.

“I am thrilled with the recent recognition of our M.Eng.ME degree—which has been successful thanks to the dedication of our department head, Professor Tony Jacobi, the inaugural faculty director, Professor Jiajun He, our wonderful staff, Susan Roughton and Sofia Posada, and our excellent graduates. The flexibility in how our program serves the needs of a variety of students – both professional part-time and full-time academically oriented – is incredible,” said Quinn Brewster, M.Eng.ME Faculty Director. “Personally, I have always been glad I chose to earn an M.Eng. degree many years ago, and I am continually inspired by the students who come through our program here in MechSE.”

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Contact: Julia Park, jcation@illinois.edu, Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.