Why This Matters

  • 18+ CAREER OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO ENGINEERS

    Individuals pursuing a career in engineering can choose from a range of subfields, including civil engineering, biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, and more.

  • 113K NEW ENGINEERING JOBS EXPECTED BY 2028

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4 percent job growth in the engineering field within the next decade, thanks to rebuilding infrastructure and renewable resource development.

  • INCREASE YOUR EARNING POTENTIAL BY $12,000

    On average, individuals who have a master’s degree earn $72,852 per year. By comparison, those who only hold a bachelor’s degree in their field earn an average yearly salary of $60,996.

Our Research

For this list, we focused on master’s-level degrees in a variety of engineering-related disciplines, including electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, and more. The majority of these programs grant a Master of Science (MS) in their respective area of engineering.

We concentrated on finding the best online programs, to ensure accessibility for all students. Many of the programs on our list are also offered on-campus. Some can be completed through a combination of online and on-campus classes.

As an added measure of quality, we only included schools that have regional accreditation. Many of these programs also have accreditation through ABET, an engineering and technology program accrediting body.

We evaluated each program’s faculty, flexibility, cost, outcomes, coursework, and reputation. Then we calculated an Intelligent Score for each program on a scale of 0 to 100. Our picks for the best online master’s in engineering programs are a good value and highly respected. (For a more extensive explanation, check out Our Ranking Methodology.)

  • 52 hours to write this article
  • 177 universities and colleges we assessed
  • 427 education programs we compared

The Top 50 Online Master’s in Engineering Programs

badges
01

 

What You Should Know About This Degree

Most entry-level engineering jobs can be obtained with a bachelor’s degree. Students may opt to pursue a master’s in engineering as a way to learn new skills, prepare for mid-level or management roles, or transition to a different career path.

Depending on your career goals, there may be other paths available to you. Graduate certificate programs can give you targeted training in specific skills in a shorter time frame than a full master’s degree. Individuals who are seeking leadership roles within the industry may find it more beneficial to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a management-focused degree that covers business-related related skills. Many engineers can also advance their careers through work experience and on-the-job training. At this time, it’s important to consider your professional goals, and all of the options available to you for achieving them.

Overall employment of engineering occupations is expected to continue growing at an average pace during the next decade. However, job growth is expected to slow in a few specific engineering fields, including aerospace engineering, electronics engineering, and nuclear engineering. Contributing factors include the continued automation and outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, and shifts in energy sources. Job opportunities in these subfields will continue to be strongest in the areas of research and development, as the push for new technologies and systems continues.

What’s Next?

Here are some questions to ask when researching Online Master’s in Engineering programs:

  • Does this program offer the specialization that I want? Even within specific areas of engineering, there are opportunities for more in-depth study. If you are interested in a particular area of focus, be sure to select a program that offers coursework in that area, either through electives, concentrations, or certificates.
  • Am I eligible for this program? Master’s programs usually expect students to have some foundational knowledge of the subject they are studying, either as part of their undergraduate coursework, or their professional experience. Look at the eligibility requirements for the program to confirm that you have any necessary prerequisite classes and work experience before applying.

At this time, you should also be taking the following steps: researching admissions requirements and application deadlines; gathering admissions materials, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, and exploring sources of funding for your degree, including student loans, scholarships, assistantships, and employer tuition benefits.

If you have questions about admissions or financial aid, you can contact the school’s admissions and financial aid departments directly.