What experience do you need to be a mechanical engineer?

What skills are needed to be an engineer?

Here’s what they are.

STEM Skills / Knowledge.

Ability to Work as Part of a Team.

Strong Analytical Mind.

Attention to Detail.

Excellent Communication Skills.

Desire to Learn.

Leadership and Management Skills.

Beat Pain and Strain in CAD With This Guide.

Engineering school admission requirements typically include a high school diploma with a full menu of math and science courses, plus humanities and computer studies. High school preparation should include geometry, trigonometry, algebra and calculus, plus physics, chemistry and biology.

Mechanical Engineer Salary. A Mechanical Engineer earns an average salary of $68,268 per year. Most people move on to other jobs if they have more than 20 years’ experience in this career. Experience has a moderate effect on income for this job.

Mechanical engineers design power-producing machines, such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, as well as power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Mechanical engineers design other machines inside buildings, such as elevators and escalators.

Mechanical engineering is the discipline that applies engineering, physics, engineering mathematics, and materials science principles to design, analyze, manufacture, and maintain mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the design, production, and operation of machinery.

Steps to Becoming a Mechanical Engineer

Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. The BLS reports that a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering is necessary for most entry-level positions in the field.

Earn an Engineering License.

Obtain Certifications (Optional)

Here’s what they are.

STEM Skills / Knowledge.

Ability to Work as Part of a Team.

Strong Analytical Mind.

Attention to Detail.

Excellent Communication Skills.

Desire to Learn.

Leadership and Management Skills.

Beat Pain and Strain in CAD With This Guide.

Here is a list to help you prepare.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Google.

The Boeing Company.

Apple.

Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Microsoft.

GE Aviation.

United States Department of Energy.

Engineer Careers List

Aerospace Engineer. Aerospace engineering is the study of the design, development, and production of air and spacecraft.

Agricultural Engineer.

Automotive Engineer.

Biomedical Engineer.

Chemical Engineer.

Civil Engineer.

Computer Engineer.

Drafting and Design Engineer.

Mechanical engineers design power-producing machines, such as electric generators, internal combustion engines, and steam and gas turbines, as well as power-using machines, such as refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Mechanical engineers design other machines inside buildings, such as elevators and escalators.

Across all sectors, your tasks generally include: designing and implementing cost-effective equipment modifications to help improve safety and reliability. developing a project specification with colleagues, often including those from other engineering disciplines. developing, testing and evaluating theoretical designs.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, MA.

Stanford University. Stanford, CA.

Georgia Institute of Technology. Atlanta, GA.

University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.

University of California–Berkeley.

Purdue University–West Lafayette.

University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign.

California Institute of Technology.

Although licensure laws vary, most boards require four steps: Earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering from a school accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination. Complete at least four years of engineering experience.

Examples of high school classes in the math and science fields needed for engineering are: Math: Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Probability & Statistics, Calculus I, and Calculus II. Science: Physical Science, Biology, Applied Biology/Chemistry, Advanced Physics and Chemistry.

The quick answer is that you could become a mechanical engineer without a degree in that field, but again, a degree in something technical is usually required. Compared to civil engineering, you can get into mechanical engineering without a degree in the field with ease, but the best way is still to get a degree.

Salaries. Although their salaries could exceed $125,810 per year or fall to less than $52,990 annually, electrical engineers earned an average yearly $85,350 as of May 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As a result there are many different types of engineering degrees available. In the past, engineering could be divided into four major branches: Mechanical, Chemical, Civil and Electrical, with sub branches of each discipline. Today however, the number of engineering degrees available have increased dramatically.

Top Mechanical Engineering SchoolsSchool NameDistinctionGeorgia Institute of TechnologyOffers a five-year BS/MS program for advanced studentsPrinceton UniversityOffers a Laser and Applied Physics programCalifornia Institute of TechnologyHas the Jim Hall Design and Prototyping Lab

It takes at least 4 years of undergraduate education to become an entry-level mechanical engineer. A master’s degree in mechanical engineering will take an extra 2 to 4 years. A Ph.D. may take another 4 to 7 years to complete.

Entry-level mechanical engineers holding bachelor’s degrees earned average annual starting salaries of $61,300, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Spring 2012 Salary Survey.