Back

Manufacturing

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Manufacturing and industrial technology programs are the hands-on counterparts to mechanical and industrial engineering. Coursework focuses on applied calculus, materials science, and production processes. You will spend significant time in labs and shops—running CNC machines, programming robotic arms, troubleshooting PLCs, and testing prototypes for manufacturability.

What you'll do after college

Graduates go into roles that connect design engineers with the shop floor: manufacturing engineer, quality engineer, automation technician, controls technician, and plant supervisor. Employers include automakers, aerospace firms, defense contractors, and consumer goods producers. The pay is strong, and these roles are highly secure as they require physical interaction with production equipment.

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$86,990
1,152
100–91%
$83,543
2,698
91–76%
$83,256
2,700
76–54%
$85,836
1,156
53–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$82,849
974
400–1050
$81,673
2,251
1050–1150
$87,475
2,248
1150–1310
$85,408
969
1310–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings vs. selectivity rank

$71,745p10 $91,732p90 Arts Military STEM Non-Research Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University Public University 1–15 Savannah College of Art and Design · $78,557 Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $101,292 United States Military Academy · $84,425 Maine Maritime Academy · $88,562 Cal State Maritime Academy · $111,690 Lawrence Technological University · $81,745 Dordt University · $83,598 Keene State College · $62,266 McPherson College · $57,472 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University · $83,439 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $78,892 Cal State Los Angeles · $64,073 Alcorn State University · $84,428 Cal Poly - Pomona · $83,416 Clemson University · $92,341 Florida International University · $81,485 North Carolina A&T State University · $68,166 Cal State Long Beach · $72,552 Auburn University · $41,354 Salisbury University · $72,698 Texas A&M University - College Station · $94,108 Fort Valley State University · $74,764 Norfolk State University · $77,706 Northern Illinois University · $88,713 University of West Florida · $91,732 Virginia Tech · $99,024 New Mexico State University · $93,950 Tarleton State University · $76,854 Central Connecticut State University · $80,319 University of Arkansas at Little Rock · $83,403 Central State University · $82,007 Illinois State University · $81,588 Jackson State University · $60,174 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $76,542 Arkansas State University · $79,773 Texas Southern University · $76,432 University of Central Missouri · $85,249 Appalachian State University · $72,240 Fresno State · $66,067 University of Texas Permian Basin · $78,562 Central Michigan University · $86,804 Eastern Michigan University · $90,767 Jacksonville State University · $88,542 Oklahoma State University · $90,567 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff · $81,084 New Jersey Institute of Technology · $84,852 Texas Tech University · $85,586 University of Alaska - Anchorage · $85,088 Texas State University · $78,730 Eastern Illinois University · $75,792 University of Colorado Boulder · $85,780 Louisiana Tech University · $85,378 Cleveland State University · $88,706 East Carolina University · $89,002 Millersville University of Pennsylvania · $70,457 Missouri Southern State University · $86,757 Missouri State University - Springfield · $83,106 Morehead State University · $82,774 Murray State University · $114,331 Nicholls State University · $80,014 Northeastern State University · $75,513 Northwest Missouri State University · $53,873 Northwestern State University of Louisiana · $72,656 Oregon Institute of Technology · $91,633 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $77,381 Temple University · $80,163 Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi · $61,928 Texas A&M University - Kingsville · $68,998 Troy University · $84,694 University of Houston - Downtown · $72,916 University of Memphis · $85,199 University of Southern Indiana · $80,688 University of Southern Maine · $59,069 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $76,653 University of Texas at Tyler · $80,593 Western Illinois University · $78,086 Farmingdale State College · $77,086 Texas A&M University - San Antonio · $78,423 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford · $76,737 University of Alabama in Huntsville · $82,456 University of West Alabama · $81,598 Bemidji State University · $81,766 University of Idaho · $82,858 University of Houston · $82,016 Purdue University Northwest · $78,761 Rowan University · $81,545 Elizabeth City State University · $75,600 SUNY Polytechnic Institute · $79,059 University of North Carolina at Charlotte · $81,953 Chico State · $90,812 East Tennessee State University · $81,754 Fitchburg State University · $74,767 Middle Tennessee State University · $75,124 Youngstown State University · $87,899 Saginaw Valley State University · $82,909 Mississippi Valley State University · $87,239 Southeast Missouri State University · $80,643 Tennessee Technological University · $84,311 Western Carolina University · $71,745 Kennesaw State University · $87,152 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $88,218 University of Toledo · $88,181 San Jose State University · $88,440 University of North Texas · $71,073 Bowling Green State University · $82,658 Eastern Washington University · $92,186 Fairmont State University · $85,103 Kent State University at Kent · $83,930 Nevada State University · $77,739 University of Maryland Eastern Shore · $76,487 Purdue University Fort Wayne · $89,319 Savannah State University · $79,746 University of New Hampshire at Manchester · $79,178 Western Michigan University · $88,618 Michigan State University · $96,486 Mississippi State University · $82,759 Wayne State University · $98,616 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $70,968 Central Washington University · $90,193 Colorado Mesa University · $72,156 Colorado State University - Pueblo · $54,093 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · $80,424 Ferris State University · $89,793 Fort Hays State University · $85,320 Indiana State University · $85,904 Lamar University · $84,176 Northern Kentucky University · $87,802 SUNY Buffalo State University · $83,406 Saint Cloud State University · $70,559 South Dakota State University · $85,852 University of Akron · $80,526 University of Arizona · $62,133 University of Maine · $86,965 University of Massachusetts - Lowell · $107,108 West Virginia University · $55,442 Western Kentucky University · $80,443 Wichita State University · $82,194 Northern Michigan University · $79,423 Michigan Technological University · $84,761 Francis Marion University · $80,026 University of Wisconsin - River Falls · $78,519 Arizona State University · $82,178 South Carolina State University · $66,358 University of Wisconsin - Platteville · $86,344 University of North Alabama · $85,228 University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh · $83,601 University of Wisconsin - Green Bay · $84,849 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $83,468 Old Dominion University · $86,441 Southeastern Louisiana University · $92,804 North Dakota State University · $85,671 Pennsylvania State University - Altoona · $83,334 Pennsylvania State University - Berks · $81,244 Pennsylvania State University - Erie-Behrend College · $83,293 Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington · $81,894 Pennsylvania State University - York · $81,531 Plymouth State University · $78,818 University of Southern Mississippi · $100,493 University of Northern Iowa · $107,081 Pennsylvania Western University · $77,744 Pittsburg State University · $93,526 Idaho State University · $84,800 Kansas State University · $95,032 Midwestern State University · $82,306 Sul Ross State University · $76,734 Virginia State University · $79,593 Austin Peay State University · $84,506 Sam Houston State University · $80,856 West Texas A&M University · $77,572 Bluefield State University · $79,578 Middle Georgia State University · $79,020 Montana State University · $82,234 Missouri Western State University · $78,698 Lake Superior State University · $81,647 Langston University · $84,392 Montana State University - Northern · $74,624 Ohio State University - Lima · $88,472 Shawnee State University · $92,774 Southwestern Oklahoma State University · $70,649 University of the District of Columbia · $85,911 Utah Valley University · $79,694 Wayne State College · $76,011 Weber State University · $89,658 Liberty University · $90,290 LeTourneau University · $85,581 Walla Walla University · $81,820 William Penn University · $78,815 University of Dayton · $89,276 Siena Heights University · $78,293 Ohio Northern University · $83,600 Southern Adventist University · $81,038 University of Tulsa · $104,077 Methodist University · $78,372 University of Findlay · $100,977 Benedict College · $80,374 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $94,692 Benedictine College · $78,030 University of Rochester · $91,889 Indiana Institute of Technology · $85,636 Rochester Institute of Technology · $88,591 University of Bridgeport · $74,214 University of Hartford · $71,338 New York Institute of Technology · $72,352 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus · $84,260 Harrisburg University of Science and Technology · $82,412 University of Rio Grande · $87,664 Purdue University · $86,659 North Carolina State University · $77,102 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $87,571 Arts: mean $89,925 Military: mean $94,892 STEM Non-Research: mean $81,745 Liberal Arts: mean $67,779 Public University: mean $81,483 Religious University: mean $86,088 Private University: mean $82,040 Public University 1–15: mean $83,777 All colleges: p10 $71,745 All colleges: p90 $91,732
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Manufacturing 237 7,823 83% / 17% 5% $83,193 97%
Mechanical Engineering Technology 49 1,236 89% / 11% 4% $80,781 97%
Electrical Engineering Technology 66 724 87% / 13% 8% $85,631 96%
Industrial Technology 48 661 79% / 21% 2% $79,336 96%
Engineering Technologies 25 656 85% / 15% 2% $83,080 96%
Engineering Technology 41 533 85% / 15% 4% $82,920 98%
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians 6 483 81% / 19% 13% $89,925 96%
Industrial Technology/Technician 9 329 86% / 14% 2% $76,385 95%
Packaging Science 8 300 60% / 40% 1% $87,914 98%
Mechanical/Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician 15 293 88% / 12% 13% $84,607 98%
Manufacturing Engineering Technology 24 228 89% / 11% 1% $83,789 98%
Automotive Technology 9 194 95% / 5% 2% $76,347 99%
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician 4 183 33% / 67% 7% $77,780 100%
Computer Engineering Technology 23 157 83% / 17% 3% $80,345 96%
Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician 9 125 90% / 10% 2% $81,864 97%
Mechatronics Engineering Technology 4 120 87% / 13% 4% $86,628
Electronic Systems Engineering Technology 1 119 78% / 22% 1% $96,482 96%
Applied Engineering 6 117 65% / 35% 16% $78,094
Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology 1 113 88% / 12% 2% $92,636 100%
Electromechanical Engineering Technology 7 93 94% / 6% 6% $87,010 100%
Industrial Engineering Technology 3 83 78% / 22% 10% $90,131 92%
Energy Systems Technology 5 74 93% / 7% 0% $87,313 96%
Creative Technology & Design 1 72 51% / 49% 1% $85,780
Automation Engineering Technology 4 59 95% / 5% 2% $92,232 94%
Industrial Production Technology 2 59 86% / 14% 2% $87,217 97%
Electronic Engineering Technology 6 57 89% / 11% 2% $84,519 98%
Automotive Engineering Technology 1 49 94% / 6% 6% $85,319 100%
Environmental/Environmental Engineering Technology/Technician 1 44 80% / 20% 2% $72,240 100%
Environmental Engineering Technology 6 38 58% / 42% 0% $86,764 100%
Industrial Safety Technology/Technician 2 37 68% / 32% 3% $74,214 95%
Plastics Technology 2 34 91% / 9% 0% $92,648 98%
Applied Technology 2 33 94% / 6% 0% $89,141 100%
Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician 2 33 91% / 9% 12% $79,164 97%
Industrial Production 1 32 94% / 6% 3% $82,759 98%
Diesel Technology 1 29 97% / 3% 0% $74,624 100%
Professional Studies 1 29 55% / 45% 3% $81,300
Science Technology 1 28 50% / 50% 0% $59,858 96%
Mechanical Engineering Technology/Technician 1 26 100% / 0% 0% $87,572 100%
Welding Engineering Technology 2 25 92% / 8% 0% $94,660 100%
Manufacturing Systems Technology 1 25 96% / 4% 4% $87,294
Power Plant Technology/Technician 1 23 87% / 13% 0% $88,562
Sustainable Biomaterials and Packaging 1 22 73% / 27% 0% $41,354 100%
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians 2 18 72% / 28% 0% $82,870 100%
Engineering Technologies/Technicians 2 18 94% / 6% 0% $74,886 100%
Marine Engineering Technology 1 18 72% / 28% 0% $111,690 98%
Robotics Engineering Technology 1 18 89% / 11% 17% $77,397
Electronics Engineering Technology 2 16 94% / 6% 0% $85,273
Applied Science Technology 1 15 87% / 13% 0% $85,088 96%
Plastics Engineering Technology 1 15 87% / 13% 7% $93,511 100%
Advanced Manufacturing and Design 1 14 100% / 0% 0% $90,926 100%
Robotics Technology 4 11 82% / 18% 0% $82,124
Applied Sciences 1 10 10% / 90% 0% $85,671
Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety 1 10 40% / 60% 0% $85,525 100%
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians 1 9 100% / 0% 0% $90,126 93%
Engineering Technology & Management for Agricultural Systems 1 9 78% / 22% 33% $87,571
Applied Science 3 7 29% / 71% 14% $79,330
Automation Engineer Technology/Technician 1 7 100% / 0% 0% $84,837
Welding Engineering Technology/Technician 1 6 50% / 50% 0% $94,810
Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology/Technician 1 6 100% / 0% 0% $55,442 94%
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians 2 5 40% / 60% 0% $78,298
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians 1 5 100% / 0% 0% $113,473 100%
Aerospace Engineering Technology 2 3 100% / 0% 0% $81,540 97%
Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 1 3 100% / 0% 0% $81,545
Electromechanical/Electromechanical Engineering Technology/Technician 1 3 100% / 0% 0% $96,055
Environmental Technology 1 3 100% / 0% 33% $78,372
Automotive Mechanics Technology 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $77,371
Energy Systems Technology/Technician 1 2 50% / 50% 0% $88,917
Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $55,565 93%
Nuclear Engineering Technology 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $84,425
Petroleum Technology/Technician 1 2 100% / 0% 0% $80,014 98%
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology/Technician, General 1 2 100% / 0% 0%
Industrial Production Technologies 2 1 100% / 0% 0% $66,600 84%
Drafting and Design Technology 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $78,348
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $85,296
Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering Technology 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $85,253
Nuclear Technology 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $75,428
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $81,038
Welding Technology 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $83,835