Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in New York

New York has 21 colleges offering Mechanical Engineering programs tracked by the College Scorecard, producing 1,902 recent graduates. Graduates earn $65,471 on average within two years, roughly in line with the national average of $64,585.

School choice matters significantly: Cornell University graduates earn $74,687 while Alfred University graduates earn $60,523 — a $14,164 gap. Research each program's curriculum, employer connections, and career services before deciding.

Schools in NY

$65,471

NY Avg. Earnings

$64,585

National Avg.

331

Schools Nationally

Public vs Private: Mechanical Engineering in New York

Public Schools (7)

$66,615

avg. 2yr earnings

Private Schools (14)

$65,062

avg. 2yr earnings

Public schools in New York produce comparable or higher early earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates, often at lower cost — making them strong value options.

Mechanical Engineering Schools in New York, Ranked by Earnings

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private

$74,687

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $72,114

Graduates: 57

Acceptance: 8.2%

Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY · Private

$69,338

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $69,826

Graduates: 38

Acceptance: 4.2%

SUNY Maritime College

Throggs Neck, NY · Public

$87,973

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $70,875

Graduates: 87

Acceptance: 78.5%

Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology

Flushing, NY · Private

$56,415

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $70,297

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: N/A

CUNY City College

New York, NY · Public

$68,618

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $63,296

Graduates: 108

Acceptance: 58.1%

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY · Private

$61,516

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $65,906

Graduates: 62

Acceptance: 35.9%

Hofstra University

Hempstead, NY · Private

$63,005

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $59,472

Graduates: 26

Acceptance: 70.6%

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rochester, NY · Private

$69,218

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $67,544

Graduates: 164

Acceptance: 71.4%

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private

$66,798

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $65,319

Graduates: 232

Acceptance: 58.5%

#10

Manhattan University

Riverdale, NY · Private

$62,260

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $65,446

Graduates: 70

Acceptance: 78.5%

#11

New York University

New York, NY · Private

$54,053

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $64,972

Graduates: 84

Acceptance: 9.4%

#12

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, NY · Public

$60,523

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $59,148

Graduates: 83

Acceptance: 49.0%

#13

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY · Private

$66,989

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $63,925

Graduates: 83

Acceptance: 41.7%

#14

Clarkson University

Potsdam, NY · Private

$67,802

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $66,506

Graduates: 289

Acceptance: 77.2%

#15

New York Institute of Technology

Old Westbury, NY · Private

$70,456

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $55,573

Graduates: 35

Acceptance: 78.1%

#16

Binghamton University

Vestal, NY · Public

$59,726

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $60,683

Graduates: 90

Acceptance: 37.7%

#17

State University of New York at New Paltz

New Paltz, NY · Public

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY · Public

N/A

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $58,631

Graduates: 17

Acceptance: 78.4%

#19

Union College

Schenectady, NY · Private

$67,812

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $63,637

Graduates: 38

Acceptance: 43.8%

#20

University at Buffalo

Buffalo, NY · Public

$56,234

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $61,042

Graduates: 253

Acceptance: 69.3%

#21

Alfred University

Alfred, NY · Private

$60,523

2yr Earnings

1yr Earnings: $59,346

Graduates: 69

Acceptance: 48.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Mechanical Engineering in New York?

Cornell University ranks #1 for Mechanical Engineering in New York with median graduate earnings of $74,687 within two years of graduation. There are 21 schools offering Mechanical Engineering programs in the state.

How much do Mechanical Engineering graduates earn in New York?

Mechanical Engineering graduates in New York earn an average of $65,471 within two years of graduation. This is 1% above the national average of $64,585 for this major.

What is the hardest Mechanical Engineering school to get into in New York?

Columbia University in the City of New York is the most selective Mechanical Engineering program in New York with an acceptance rate of 4.2%. The average acceptance rate across Mechanical Engineering programs in the state is 52.8%.

Should I attend a public or private school for Mechanical Engineering in New York?

In New York, private Mechanical Engineering programs produce average earnings of $65,062 vs $66,615 at public schools. However, public schools typically cost less — consider net price relative to earnings when calculating ROI. There are 7 public and 14 private options in the state.

Other Popular Majors in New York

Marine Transportation $73,446 Computer Science $71,535 Computer Engineering $71,263 Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology $70,176 Industrial Engineering $69,459 Construction Management $67,560 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $66,924 Materials Engineering $66,884

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Mechanical Engineering in Other States

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Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study file last updated June 2026. Institution-level figures elsewhere on the site come from the June 2026 release.