What can you do with a Mechanical Engineering degree from San Diego State University-California State University?

First, some facts. Of the Mechanical Engineering graduates from San Diego State University-California State University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 81%, Mechanical Engineering graduates from San Diego State University-California State University have a much higher likelihood (+14%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, only 20% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Mechanical Engineering graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Mechanical Engineering degree from San Diego State University-California State University?
• What do Mechanical Engineering graduates from San Diego State University-California State University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Mechanical Engineering degree from San Diego State University-California State University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Mechanical Engineering degree from San Diego State University-California State University?
• What are the best colleges for Mechanical Engineering?

View a random Mechanical Engineering graduate from San Diego State University-California State University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 53% We think this person has gone into a career only somewhat relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2011 from San Diego State University-California State University with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mechanical Engineering. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Project Engineer Geometric Ltd. Mar 2012 - Jun 2012 The project engineer role requires some mechanical engineering skills but does not fully utilize the specialized knowledge of mechanical engineering on a daily basis. Mechanical Engineer TransPacific Energy, Inc. Aug 2011 - Aug 2012 As a mechanical engineer, this position directly depends on the principles and technical skills learned in a mechanical engineering degree. Laboratory Engineer Zodiac Pool Systems Jul 2012 - Jan 2015 The laboratory engineer role may use some mechanical principles but is more focused on laboratory practices and procedures rather than mechanical engineering itself. Applications Engineer Zodiac Pool Systems Feb 2015 - Jan 2017 Applications engineering at Zodiac Pool Systems may require some engineering knowledge, but it focuses more on product application rather than core mechanical engineering principles. Systems Integration Test Engineer Zodiac Pool Systems Jan 2017 - Jul 2018 The systems integration test engineer role involves some engineering principles, yet it emphasizes testing procedures and applications rather than core mechanical engineering skills. Systems Engineer Omniome Inc. Jul 2018 - Sep 2019 Working as a systems engineer may involve analyzing systems that have a mechanical component but does not primarily require mechanical engineering knowledge. Lead Test Engineer Modular Medical, Inc. Sep 2019 - Jan 2021 The lead test engineer position may utilize some knowledge of mechanical systems, but it focuses heavily on testing protocols that are not solely mechanical engineering-based. Systems Engineer Truvian Feb 2021 - Nov 2022 The systems engineer role may involve interaction with mechanical systems but does not necessarily rely on a mechanical engineering background as a core qualification. Senior Systems Engineer Singular Genomics Nov 2022 - Dec 2023 As a senior systems engineer, while there may be some mechanical components, the position primarily revolves around systems engineering practices rather than mechanical engineering itself. Senior Systems Engineer Fieldpiece Instruments Jan 2024 - Present The senior systems engineer role utilizes engineering knowledge, but it is focused more on system-level applications rather than the principles of mechanical engineering specifically. ABOUT No information provided.

What jobs can you get with a Mechanical Engineering degree from San Diego State University-California State University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Mechanical Engineer
• Project Officer, USACE Contingency Response Unit (CRU)
• Systems Engineer
• Senior Systems Engineer
• Mechanical Engineering Intern
• Senior Mechanical Engineer
• Platoon Sergeant; 2nd BN, 23rd MARINES
• Mechanical Engineer / Senior Member of the Technical Staff
• Engineering Project Manager
• Deputy Program Manager

From analyzing the LinkedIn profiles of graduates with degrees in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University, it seems that many of them have landed roles that are primarily engineering-focused. A significant number of individuals went on to become Mechanical Engineers at various companies, where they apply the principles and skills learned during their degree, which is definitely relevant. For instance, someone working as a Mechanical Engineer or in related roles such as Manufacturing Engineer or Project Engineer makes strong use of their educational background. It’s pretty clear these positions are not just job titles; they involve the actual tasks and responsibilities that align closely with mechanical engineering principles.

On the flip side, there are a few roles that stray from traditional mechanical engineering paths. Many individuals took on positions in the military or applied their mechanical knowledge in roles that leaned more toward project management or systems engineering. While these jobs may benefit from a mechanical engineering background, they don’t necessarily require in-depth engineering skills on a daily basis. So, while there’s a solid chunk of graduates making full use of their mechanical engineering degree, there’s also a noticeable number who have ventured into broader roles where their engineering education is somewhat relevant but not fully utilized. In conclusion, it looks like most graduates are finding jobs that are at least tangentially related to mechanical engineering, making their education a valuable asset in the job market.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Mechanical Engineering graduates (this is across all Mechanical Engineering graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to San Diego State University-California State University):

What kind of career trajectories do Mechanical Engineering graduates from San Diego State University-California State University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

Graduates from San Diego State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering generally have solid career trajectories in engineering roles right after school. For many, their first jobs involve working as mechanical engineers in either established companies or specific engineering teams. For instance, graduates have started as mechanical engineers at companies like Cubic or TransPacific Energy. Many have also transitioned into various engineering roles such as project engineers or applications engineers shortly after graduating. It seems that the hands-on experience gained during internships and early jobs significantly contributes to their ability to secure relevant positions right after college.

As time passes—around 5 to 10 years post-graduation—many graduates tend to climb the ranks, taking on more responsibility and leadership roles. We see job titles like Senior Mechanical Engineer, Engineering Project Manager, and even roles like Deputy Program Manager at the Naval Surface Warfare Center. Some have ventured into management positions, such as Senior Manager for Project Delivery at Levi Strauss & Co., while others have taken the entrepreneurial route, co-founding their own companies. Overall, it looks like those who pursued their degrees in mechanical engineering have found fruitful careers that relate to their field, with many continuing to develop their technical skills and advancing into senior positions, which indicates a healthy job market for mechanical engineering professionals. So, if you’re thinking about going down this path, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll have plenty of opportunities to thrive in your career!

How hard is a Mechanical Engineering degree from San Diego State University-California State University?

Alright, so getting a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, especially at a school like San Diego State University, can be pretty challenging. It’s definitely on the harder side compared to some other majors because you’re diving into a lot of math, physics, and engineering principles. You’ll be spending time on stuff like thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and materials science, which can get really complex. Plus, there's usually a significant amount of hands-on work with projects and labs that really test your understanding. So, while it's totally manageable if you're dedicated and organized, be prepared to put in some serious effort!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 4 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Do Mechanical Engineering graduates from San Diego State University-California State University tend to make good money?

Looking at these Mechanical Engineering grads from San Diego State University, it seems like they’re generally doing pretty well financially. Many of them landed solid engineering jobs pretty quickly after graduation and have steadily climbed up the ladder with a mix of promotions and advanced positions like project managers and senior engineers, which usually come with nice paychecks. Some even started their own companies or took on leadership roles, suggesting they’re finding success in more than just traditional job paths. So, while it’s hard to pinpoint exact salaries without specifics, the trends show these individuals are likely making decent money in their careers, especially in a field like engineering that typically pays well.

What buzzwords do Mechanical Engineering graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering (this is across all Mechanical Engineering graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to San Diego State University-California State University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Mechanical Engineering?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering (ordered by the average relevance score of their Mechanical Engineering graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
North Dakota State University	95	20
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	94	12
University of Michigan-Dearborn	94	11
University of Minnesota	93	14
University of Illinois at Chicago	93	13
Binghamton University	93	14
University of Minnesota Duluth	93	15
Oregon Institute of Technology	93	12
Minnesota State University, Mankato	92	10
Wright State University	92	15
University of Delaware	91	24
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities	91	23
University of Massachusetts Lowell	91	30
University of Maryland Baltimore County	91	19
University of Wisconsin-Platteville	91	23
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	91	11
Kettering University	91	27
The University of Alabama	90	37
University at Buffalo	90	19
University of Colorado Denver	90	12
University of North Dakota	90	10
University of North Florida	89	14
Washington University in St. Louis	89	15
University of Oklahoma	88	19
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	88	29
Lamar University	88	18
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology	88	24
Iowa State University	87	65
Portland State University	87	16
UC Irvine	87	16
Oakland University	87	24
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	87	42
Texas A&M University-Kingsville	87	11
Florida International University	86	17
University of Wisconsin-Madison	86	31
San Jose State University	86	23
Temple University	86	19
Brigham Young University - Idaho	86	19
Northern Arizona University	86	20
University of Kentucky	86	24
Ferris State University	86	11
University of South Carolina-Columbia	86	13
Wentworth Institute of Technology	86	18
University of Tehran	86	10
University of Arizona	85	19
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	85	51
California State University-Sacramento	85	22
Kansas State University	85	34
Baylor University	85	22
University of Nevada, Reno	85	16
Villanova University	85	18
Michigan Technological University	85	51
University of New Orleans	85	14
Shanghai Jiao Tong University	85	10
Brigham Young University	84	40
San Diego State University	84	22
Washington State University	84	43
University of Utah	84	23
University of South Carolina	84	14
California State University, Long Beach	84	15
University of Massachusetts Amherst	84	13
University of Louisville	84	19
Utah State University	84	26
Montana State University-Bozeman	84	41
University of California, Los Angeles	83	20
Auburn University	83	26
Oregon State University	83	46
University of Pittsburgh	83	33
Northeastern University	83	43
Boise State University	83	18
The University of Kansas	83	10
University of Alabama	83	15
The University of Akron	83	36
Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis	83	12
University of Idaho	83	15
University of South Alabama	83	13
University of Toledo	83	27
Missouri University of Science and Technology	83	30
University of Portland	83	19
Clarkson University	83	33
University of Michigan College of Engineering	83	10
Penn State University	82	87
University of Florida	82	53
Michigan State University	82	42
Purdue University	82	91
North Carolina State University	82	44
Louisiana State University	82	24
University of California, Riverside	82	20
Drexel University	82	38
University of Dayton	82	36
Florida Institute of Technology	82	10
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology	82	10
Arizona State University	81	38
University of Washington	81	24
University of Houston	81	46
Colorado State University	81	27
Texas Tech University	81	50
University of Cincinnati	81	23
California State University, Fullerton	81	19
University of North Carolina at Charlotte	81	30
University of Maryland	81	27
Old Dominion University	81	30
Rowan University	81	14
Rutgers University	81	12
San Diego State University-California State University	81	10
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	81	32
University of Maine	81	19
Lehigh University	81	17
Purdue University Northwest	81	13
University of Central Florida	80	72
University of South Florida	80	27
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	80	49
The University of Texas at San Antonio	80	29
The University of Texas at Arlington	80	23
West Virginia University	80	20
University of Arkansas	80	20
Georgia Southern University	80	20
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	80	13
University of California, Merced	80	21
Arkansas Tech University	80	10
The Ohio State University	79	48
University of Missouri-Columbia	79	24
Clemson University	79	35
California State University-Long Beach	79	18
Georgia Institute of Technology	79	88
The University of Texas at Dallas	79	31
University of Maryland College Park	79	20
Mississippi State University	79	35
Cornell University	79	21
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	79	20
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale	79	12
Rochester Institute of Technology	79	42
California State University, Chico	79	10
Tennessee Technological University	79	13
Louisiana Tech University	79	13
Colorado School of Mines	79	53
Bucknell University	79	12
Valparaiso University	79	13
Lafayette College	79	14
University of California, Davis	78	32
University of Michigan	78	37
University of Colorado Boulder	78	42
Oklahoma State University	78	39
Miami University	78	14
Kennesaw State University	78	15
University of Rhode Island	78	12
The University of Texas at El Paso	78	28
University of Massachusetts, Amherst	78	14
Stanford University	78	10
University of Colorado Colorado Springs	78	10
University of Denver	78	12
Stevens Institute of Technology	78	20
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College	78	24
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani	78	13
Ohio University	77	15
University of Connecticut	77	19
UC Santa Barbara	77	13
University of California, Irvine	77	10
Eastern Washington University	77	13
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	77	34
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley	77	11
Carnegie Mellon University	77	14
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	77	25
University of Georgia College of Engineering	77	11
Virginia Tech	76	35
University of Nevada-Las Vegas	76	19
University of Mississippi	76	14
University of Hawaii at Manoa	76	12
Wichita State University	76	12
Gonzaga University	76	12
University of Rochester	76	13
Prairie View A&M University	76	15
Manhattan College	76	14
Texas A&M University	75	76
University of California, Berkeley	75	17
University of Southern California	75	19
Boston University	75	16
University of New Hampshire	75	16
Bradley University	75	16
SUNY Polytechnic Institute	75	11
Florida Atlantic University	74	11
California State University, Northridge	74	11
University of Texas at Tyler	74	13
The University of Toledo	74	12
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology	74	16
Northwestern University	73	16
New Jersey Institute of Technology	73	32
The University of Texas at Austin	72	44
Milwaukee School of Engineering	72	16
Auburn University, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering	71	10
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	70	29
University of Virginia	70	20
University of Nebraska-Lincoln	70	18
University of California, San Diego	70	10
The College of New Jersey	70	10
New Mexico State University	70	18
Savitribai Phule Pune University	70	28
Florida State University	69	11
Visvesvaraya Technological University	69	13
University of Notre Dame	68	17
Tufts University	68	11
SRM University	68	11
Northern Illinois University	67	13
Vanderbilt University	66	15
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University	66	14
University of Mumbai	66	24
University of North Texas	65	10
United States Naval Academy	64	16
Rice University	63	10
University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez	62	10
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University	60	16
Vellore Institute of Technology	59	18
Anna University	55	13
Osmania University	50	12
United States Military Academy at West Point	48	10