Illinois Mechanical Engineering Schools

Are you interested in entering the field of mechanical engineering? If so, there are 12 schools in Illinois that you can choose to attend. This includes seven Associate’s degree programs, six Bachelor’s degree programs, six Master’s degree programs, and six PhD programs.

Associate’s degrees and Bachelor’s degrees are both widely available in Illinois. If you want an Associate’s degree, you must earn 60 credits. You may be able to complete this in about two years. Bachelor’s degrees require the completion of 120 credits, which should take you between four and five years. Some of the classes you may have to take at this level include Mechanics of Solids, Component Design, and Thermodynamics. You spend time in the classroom and in the lab, in order to gain practical experience with engineering materials.

Earning a Master’s degree or doctoral degree after completing your Bachelor’s degree can make you better prepared to teach and research mechanical engineering. Earning a Master’s degree involves doing 30 credits of coursework over the course of two to three years. To earn a PhD, you complete the same courses as a Master’s student. However, you also have to write and defend a thesis.

The average cost of tuition in Illinois is $14,900 per semester. However, tuition tends to be lower at public institutions and two-year colleges. Regardless of which school you attend, you may be able to minimize your out-of-pocket costs by earning scholarships and grants.

There are many scholarship opportunities you should consider in Illinois. The Illinois Society of Professional Engineers offers a variety of engineering scholarships of $1000 to students. The Illinois Section of ASCE awards scholarships of up to $2000 every year.

In order to be able to work as a mechanical engineer in Illinois, you have to get your license from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. First, you have to pass the required NCEES exam. After you pass this exam, you can fill out your application for licensure. As long as you renew when it is necessary and keep up with continuing education requirements, you can continue working as an engineer in Illinois.

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