Best Online Engineering Degrees 2021
Earning an online degree in engineering can lead to many new career opportunities. Here, we list the top programs available.

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A degree in engineering opens career paths in diverse industries including aerospace, energy, information technology, and construction. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recognizes and prepares employment reports on 18 engineering occupations. Entering such a broad professional arena, students choose a specific engineering subfield early in their academic journey.
The BLS groups architects and engineers under the same occupational category. It projects these professions to grow 3% from 2019-2029, about as fast as all occupations. The BLS reports that many of the projected 74,800 new jobs fall under the engineering occupations.
For students planning to pursue a degree in engineering, our guide offers information to help choose the best fit. We provide a ranking of 2021's top engineering programs, outline benefits of earning an engineering degree online, and highlight scholarship opportunities.
View Our Rankings List HereAffordableCollegesOnline.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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Online Engineering Program Q and A
Jobs open to engineering graduates depend on the subfield of engineering they majored in, including mechanical, civil, or electrical engineering.
Yes. The BLS reports a median annual salary of $83,160 for engineers.
The cost of earning an engineering degree online will likely approximate average bachelor's degree costs for 2018-19. In-state students at public institutions paid $9,212 for tuition and fees only, excluding on-campus room and board.
A bachelor's degree in engineering usually takes four years to complete. However, factors such as enrollment status and delivery format can influence completion time.
Why Get a Degree in Engineering?
Jobs in many engineering subfields garner median annual salaries higher than the national median for all workers. Electrical and electronics engineers, chemical engineers, and aerospace engineers all earn median annual salaries above $100,000.
Several schools now offer online engineering programs, allowing students to earn a degree in an engineering subfield not offered in their home state. Online programs give enrollees the further advantage of a cheaper degree since they do not pay room and board.
How Much Does an Engineering Degree Cost?
National Center for Education Statistics data show 2018-19 attendance costs at public in-state schools came to $20,598. Students at private nonprofit institutions paid a considerably higher amount, $47,541 on average. The figures include tuition, required fees, and on-campus room and board. The cost of a bachelor's degree in engineering will likely approximate these amounts. However, engineering programs requiring laboratory training may cost more.
Most online students do not pay additional on-campus housing expenses, lowering the cost of attendance significantly. For tuition and fees only, learners at in-state public institutions paid an average of $9,212, while students at private nonprofit schools paid $34,758. Students should also take note of schools allowing out-of-state online enrollees to pay in-state tuition. Earning an engineering degree online can result in meaningful savings because of the substantial difference between resident and non-resident tuition.
How Much Do Engineering Majors Make?
As stated above, many engineering jobs garner higher-than-average salaries. Aspiring computer hardware engineers enter a professional arena with a median annual salary of $119,560. The top-paying industries for these professions include securities and financial investment companies, software publishers, and computer and equipment manufacturing companies. These employers pay mean annual salaries of $170,190, $164,270, and $147,220, respectively.
The BLS projects 10% growth for industrial engineers in 2019-2029, making it one of the fastest growing engineering subfields. The highest paying arenas for industrial engineers include crude oil pipeline transportation, telecommunications, and petroleum and coal products manufacturing. Industrial engineers at these companies earn mean annual salaries of $120,850, $114,920, and $113,800, respectively.
Courses in Engineering
Engineering encompasses a broad professional arena and, expectedly, no single curriculum can contain all the courses required for each specific subfield. Institutions offering the same degree in engineering often follow unique curricula designed to support their specific academic objectives.
Most engineering courses involve hands-on training through an internship experience or individual or group projects. The courses described below represent foundation classes offered in an engineering program's first half, before students focus on major-specific courses their junior and senior years.
Students learn how to apply economic principles and techniques in implementing engineering designs and decisions. The course teaches enrollees about feasibility studies, quantitative methods of assessment, and basic economic model building. Topics include the time value of money, equivalence, rate of return, and cash flows.Engineering Economics
The class covers four main topics: linear and vector algebra, particle equilibrium, engineering applications, and rigid body equilibrium. Students learn to identify and analyze different internal and external force systems that affect particles and rigid bodies in static equilibrium. The course focuses on the application of computer-based matrix methods to solve engineering problems.Introduction to Engineering Analysis
The course familiarizes students with a range of topics including partial derivatives, vector fields, double and triple integrals, and the divergence theorem. A core tool in applied mathematics, engineers apply this discipline's principles to computer graphics programming and civil engineering when building large projects like airports and highways.Multivariable Calculus
Certifications and Licensure for Engineering
All 50 states and the District of Columbia require engineers to acquire a license before working. Licensure requirements vary, so students should contact the state licensing board where they plan to work for specific criteria. Industry-recognized professional organizations issue certifications, often qualifying holders for increased responsibilities and leadership positions in specific subfields.
Scholarships for Engineering
Many schools offer STEM scholarships to attract and support the most promising students in science, technology, engineering, and math. Students pursuing a degree in engineering can find additional financial aid packages from state and federal government agencies. Professional organizations and private nonprofit groups with established ties to engineering also support students.
Scholarship | Amount | Who Can Apply |
---|---|---|
American Society of Naval Engineers Scholarship |
$4,000 | Full-time undergraduate and graduate engineering students can apply for the scholarship. Graduate applicants must hold ASNE membership; undergraduate applicants do not need membership but should hold senior status. |
Society of Women Engineers |
Varies | SWE welcomes applications from female/women-identifying students enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program with accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. |
Best Online Engineering Programs 2021
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Siena Heights UniversityLocation
Adrian, MI
Tuition$22740
Graduation Rate43%
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Eastern Michigan UniversityLocation
Ypsilanti, MI
Tuition$9663
Graduation Rate90%
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Texas A & M University-College StationLocation
College Station, TX
Tuition$9685
Graduation Rate80%
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Indiana State UniversityLocation
Terre Haute, IN
Tuition$8416
Graduation Rate43%
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Missouri State University-SpringfieldLocation
Springfield, MO
Tuition$7008
Graduation Rate55%
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University of Massachusetts-LowellLocation
Lowell, MA
Tuition$12447
Graduation Rate54%
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Northern Arizona UniversityLocation
Flagstaff, AZ
Tuition$8728
Graduation Rate49%
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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-WorldwideLocation
Daytona Beach, FL
Tuition$8040
Graduation Rate48%
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Oklahoma State University-Main CampusLocation
Stillwater, OK
Tuition$7442
Graduation Rate62%
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University of North DakotaLocation
Grand Forks, ND
Tuition$7741
Graduation Rate52%
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Fort Hays State UniversityLocation
Hays, KS
Tuition$4469
Graduation Rate41%
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East Carolina UniversityLocation
Greenville, NC
Tuition$6143
Graduation Rate58%
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Kennesaw State UniversityLocation
Kennesaw, GA
Tuition$5840
Graduation Rate37%
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University of ArizonaLocation
Tucson, AZ
Tuition$10581
Graduation Rate61%
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Clemson UniversityLocation
Clemson, SC
Tuition$13446
Graduation Rate82%
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University of Southern MississippiLocation
Hattiesburg, MS
Tuition$6980
Graduation Rate50%
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Delta State UniversityLocation
Cleveland, MS
Tuition$6562
Graduation Rate37%
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The University of Texas of the Permian BasinLocation
Odessa, TX
Tuition$5250
Graduation Rate37%
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Washburn UniversityLocation
Topeka, KS
Tuition$6038
Graduation Rate34%
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University of DelawareLocation
Newark, DE
Tuition$12342
Graduation Rate80%
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University of Central FloridaLocation
Orlando, FL
Tuition$6368
Graduation Rate65%
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Ferris State UniversityLocation
Big Rapids, MI
Tuition$10556
Graduation Rate53%
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University of Virginia-Main CampusLocation
Charlottesville, VA
Tuition$13208
Graduation Rate93%
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University of Arkansas at Little RockLocation
Little Rock, AR
Tuition$7432
Graduation Rate19%
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University of North Carolina at CharlotteLocation
Charlotte, NC
Tuition$6277
Graduation Rate53%
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Western Kentucky UniversityLocation
Bowling Green, KY
Tuition$9140
Graduation Rate50%
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University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesLocation
Minneapolis, MN
Tuition$13560
Graduation Rate73%
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Arkansas State University-Main CampusLocation
Jonesboro, AR
Tuition$7720
Graduation Rate39%
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Vaughn College of Aeronautics and TechnologyLocation
Flushing, NY
Tuition$21642
Graduation Rate57%
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Stony Brook UniversityLocation
Stony Brook, NY
Tuition$8430
Graduation Rate70%
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University of AlabamaLocation
Tuscaloosa, AL
Tuition$9826
Graduation Rate67%
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University of Nebraska at OmahaLocation
Omaha, NE
Tuition$6750
Graduation Rate46%
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Morehead State UniversityLocation
Morehead, KY
Tuition$7866
Graduation Rate43%
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Southeast Missouri State UniversityLocation
Cape Girardeau, MO
Tuition$7058
Graduation Rate46%
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Utah Valley UniversityLocation
Orem, UT
Tuition$5270
Graduation Rate17%
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Pittsburg State UniversityLocation
Pittsburg, KS
Tuition$6230
Graduation Rate50%
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University of ToledoLocation
Toledo, OH
Tuition$9463
Graduation Rate46%
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Old Dominion UniversityLocation
Norfolk, VA
Tuition$8970
Graduation Rate49%
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Florida Atlantic UniversityLocation
Boca Raton, FL
Tuition$4831
Graduation Rate41%
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Eastern New Mexico University-Main CampusLocation
Portales, NM
Tuition$4858
Graduation Rate29%
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Liberty UniversityLocation
Lynchburg, VA
Tuition$21000
Graduation Rate46%
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Bemidji State UniversityLocation
Bemidji, MN
Tuition$8134
Graduation Rate44%
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Baker College of MuskegonLocation
Muskegon, MI
Tuition$8280
Graduation Rate18%
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Indiana University-EastLocation
Richmond, IN
Tuition$6787
Graduation Rate25%
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Daytona State CollegeLocation
Daytona Beach, FL
Tuition$3306
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State College of Florida-Manatee-SarasotaLocation
Bradenton, FL
Tuition$3074
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Saint Cloud State UniversityLocation
Saint Cloud, MN
Tuition$7553
Graduation Rate49%
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University of South Carolina-UpstateLocation
Spartanburg, SC
Tuition$10518
Graduation Rate38%
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National UniversityLocation
La Jolla, CA
Tuition$12384
Graduation Rate23%
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Clarion University of PennsylvaniaLocation
Clarion, PA
Tuition$9788
Graduation Rate48%
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AffordableCollegesOnline.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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