Mechanical or Electrical Engineering?
Both start with a bachelor's degree in engineering, look for ABET accreditation and share the same optional PE license. Mechanical engineering works with motion, energy and machines; electrical engineering with power, circuits and signals. BLS pay, jobs and growth for each are in the table.
Mechanical Engineering · median pay$104,110Mechanical engineers
Electrical Engineering · median pay$125,040Electrical and electronics engineers
Mechanical Engineering · colleges424awarded it in 2023-24
Electrical Engineering · colleges417awarded it in 2023-24
Side by side
Rows that are the same for both are shown once.
| Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering | |
|---|---|---|
| In one line | Engineering for anything that moves or uses energy: engines, machines, vehicles, robots and HVAC systems. A bachelor's degree is the usual entry; a PE license is needed only to offer engineering services to the public. | Designing electrical equipment and systems — power grids, motors, communications and control systems — and, with electronics engineering, the circuits inside products. |
| What you study | Statics and dynamics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, materials, machine design, manufacturing, controls, CAD and lab work. | Circuits, electromagnetics, signals and systems, electronics, power systems, controls, communications, programming and lab work. |
| College program | Mechanical engineering (CIP 14.1901) | Electrical and electronics engineering (CIP 14.1001) |
| Colleges that awarded it (2023-24) | 424 colleges · 33,126 bachelor's degrees | 417 colleges · 14,628 bachelor's degrees |
| Main job (BLS) | Mechanical engineers | Electrical and electronics engineers |
| Median pay (May 2025) | $104,110 | $125,040 |
| Jobs and growth (2025–35) | 298,500 jobs · 11% growth (much faster than average) | 297,900 jobs · 8% growth (much faster than average) |
| Other jobs it leads to | Aerospace engineers | Computer hardware engineers |
| License | Both: Professional Engineer (PE) license (only for some roles) | |
| Accreditation to look for | Both: ABET (program) | |
Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; jobs and growth: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; colleges: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 (first majors).
BLS
Occupational Outlook HandbookU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Checked
- 7 Oct 2026
NCES IPEDS
IPEDS Completions, 2023-24 (complete data file C2024_A)National Center for Education Statistics
- Checked
- 7 Oct 2026
Explore each one
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Checked 8 Oct 2026. All comparisons · How Margdarshan sources its data →