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Mechanical Engineers
Designs machines and anything that moves, heats or cools.
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Mechanical engineers design, test and improve machines and products: car parts, engines, medical devices, heating and cooling systems, factory equipment, even roller coasters. They model parts on a computer, build prototypes, and work with technicians to get them made.
Open the mechanical engineer guide
The guide checks the courses against your plan, with things to try each year. Free account needed.
High school courses that build toward it
- Engineering Design · Career and Technical
Builds engineering, which this job uses.
- Calculus · Math
Builds math, which this job uses.
- Computer Science Principles · Computer Science
Builds computers and electronics, which this job uses.
- Physics · Science
Builds physics, which this job uses.
- English 10 · English
Builds reading and writing, which this job uses.
- Ceramics · Arts
Builds design and technical drawing, which this job uses.
Ranked by how much the job relies on what each course teaches, from O*NET's knowledge ratings. Your school's own courses and the counselor have the final word.
Mechanical Engineers on O*NET OnLine · O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections 2025.