Compare 114 Mechanical Engineering PhD Programs in the US

Grad School Navigator tracks 114 Mechanical Engineering PhD programs in the US across 87 universities. Most do not require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE); only 19% report it as a requirement. Start with the ranked programs below, then use Explorer to compare the details that matter to your shortlist.

Top Programs

Sorted by Grad School Navigator University Rank. Each row also shows QS, Times Higher Education, U.S. News, or Academic Ranking of World Universities positions when available.

  1. 1
    Application deadline
    Jan 26 +2
    Annual tuition
    $67,686
    Program duration
    60 months
  2. 2

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    Doctor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

    Application deadline
    Dec 15 +1
    Annual tuition
    $64,310
    Program duration
    72 months
  3. 3
    Application deadline
    Dec 1
    Annual tuition
    $65,210
    Program duration
    60 months
  4. 4

    University of California, Berkeley

    PhD in Mechanical Engineering

    Application deadline
    Dec 3
    Annual tuition
    $33,960
    Program duration
    60 months
  5. 5
    Application deadline
    Dec 15
    Annual tuition
    $50,900
    Program duration
    72 months
  6. 6

    California Institute of Technology

    Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Mechanics

    Application deadline
    Dec 15
    Annual tuition
    $68,001
    Program duration
    72 months
  7. 7
    Application deadline
    Dec 15
    Program duration
    72 months
  8. 8
    Application deadline
    Dec 15
    Annual tuition
    $56,840
    Program duration
    84 months
  9. 9
    Application deadline
    Dec 1
    Annual tuition
    $20,800
    Program duration
    60 months
  10. 10
    Application deadline
    Oct 15 +1
    Annual tuition
    $66,670
    Program duration
    60 months

Use detailed filters for tuition, deadlines, duration, admission requirements, and rankings in Programs Explorer. Compare programs and create your application shortlist.

Compare all 114 programs in Explorer

Complete Program List114 programs

The complete list of Mechanical Engineering PhD Programs, ranked by their global university rank first.

First programs in this cohort
RankUniversityProgramDuration
#2Stanford UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#3Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Science in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#4Princeton UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering60 months
#6University of California, BerkeleyDoctor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering
#6University of California, BerkeleyMS|PhD in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#6University of California, BerkeleyPhD in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#8Yale UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science72 months
#9California Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy in Applied Mechanics72 months
#9California Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#10University of PennsylvaniaDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics72 months
#10University of PennsylvaniaPhD in Mechanical Engineering - Robo Track72 months
#12Columbia UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering84 months
#13Cornell UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#13Cornell UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics84 months
#16Johns Hopkins UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#17University of California, Los AngelesPhD Engineering Mechanics
#17University of California, Los AngelesPhD in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#19University of Michigan--Ann ArborDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering84 months
#21Carnegie Mellon UniversityPhD in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#22Duke UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
#23Northwestern UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Theoretical & Applied Mechanics
#23Northwestern UniversityPhD in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#24New York UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#25University of WashingtonDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#26University of California San DiegoDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering60 months
#26University of California San DiegoJoint Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace and Mechanical60 months
#30Brown UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Fluids and Thermal Sciences60 months
#30Brown UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanics of Solids and Structures60 months
#31The University of Texas at AustinDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#31The University of Texas at AustinPhD in Engineering Mechanics
#33Georgia Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science and Mechanics
#33Georgia Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#34Rice UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#36Washington University in St. LouisDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#38University of Wisconsin--MadisonDoctor of philosophy in Engineering Mechanics
#38University of Wisconsin--MadisonDoctor of philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#39Purdue University--West LafayetteDirect Doctor of Philosophy Program in Mechanical Engineering
#39Purdue University--West LafayettePhD in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#40Pennsylvania State University--University ParkDoctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science and Mechanics
#40Pennsylvania State University--University ParkDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#41University of Illinois--Urbana-ChampaignDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering84 months
#41University of Illinois--Urbana-ChampaignDoctor of Philosophy in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics84 months
#42University of Southern CaliforniaPhD in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#47Dartmouth CollegeDoctor of Philosophy in Energy Engineering60 months
#47Dartmouth CollegeDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical & Systems Engineering60 months
#52Vanderbilt UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#55University of VirginiaDoctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering84 months
#59University of California--Santa BarbaraDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#61University of RochesterDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#62University of California, DavisDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
#64University of Maryland, College ParkDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#64University of Maryland, College ParkDoctor of Philosophy Mechanical
#65University of California--IrvineDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
#72University of Minnesota--Twin CitiesDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#75University of PittsburghDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#77University of Notre DameDoctor of Philosophy in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering60 months
#78Tufts UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#81Rutgers University--New BrunswickDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
#84University of Massachusetts--AmherstDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#85Boston UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#91Michigan State UniversityPhD in Mechanical Engineering
#93Texas A&M University--College StationDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#93Texas A&M University--College StationDoctor of Philosophy Mechanical
#95Ohio State University--ColumbusDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#96University of FloridaDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#98Virginia TechDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#99University of GeorgiaDoctor of Philosophy in Engineering with Mechanics and Materials Emphasis
#114North Carolina State UniversityPhD Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering
#134University of Colorado BoulderDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#201–250Case Western Reserve UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
#201–250Northeastern UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#251–300Stony Brook University--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#251–300University of MiamiDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering48 months
#251–300University of Texas--DallasDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#301–400George Washington UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in the Field of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering72 months
#301–400University of California, RiversidePhD in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#301–400University at Buffalo--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
#301–400University of IowaDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
#401–500Florida State UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering72 months
#401–500Washington State UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering – Pullman48 months
#401–500University of DelawareDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
Auburn UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering72 months
Baylor UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering72 months
Binghamton University--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (Applied Mechanics and Design)
Binghamton University--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (Dynamic Systems and Acoustics)36 months
Binghamton University--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (Energy)36 months
Binghamton University--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (Materials Science and Engineering)36 months
Binghamton University--SUNYDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering (Transport Phenomena)36 months
Brigham Young University--ProvoDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering60 months
Clemson UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Automotive Engineering60 months
Clemson UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
Colorado School of MinesDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
Drexel UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Illinois Institute of TechnologyDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Lehigh UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
Marquette UniversityDoctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering96 months
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteDoctor of Philosophy in Engineering in Mechanical Engineering
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteDoctor of Philosophy Mechanical
San Diego State UniversityPhD in Mechanical Engineering
Southern Methodist UniversityDoctor of Philosophy with a Major in Mechanical Engineering
Show remaining 14 programs

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Explore all 114 programs in Programs Explorer