Best Mechanical Engineering Schools Near Sparks, NV (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sparks, Nevada has 1 accredited school offering mechanical engineering programs. Sparks has a population of about 109,106. Median household income is $86,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 26.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Reno, NV metro area, the top-earning mechanical engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $160,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Mechanical Engineering Schools to Sparks

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer mechanical engineering programs near Sparks, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sparks city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Sparks. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Nevada-Reno

Reno, NV 5.8 miles from Sparks
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
67.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,614
Avg net price $15,927/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 121

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV 345.9 miles from Sparks
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,037
Avg net price $10,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Nevada schools on the Nevada mechanical engineering page.

Mechanical Engineering Wages Near Sparks

Sparks is part of the Reno, NV metro area (BLS area code 39900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Nevada statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Mechanical Engineers $101,520 Reno, NV $100,515
Architectural and Engineering Managers $160,900 Reno, NV $159,307
Industrial Engineers $103,060 Reno, NV $102,040
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians $59,090 Reno, NV $58,505
Mechanical Drafters $63,180 Reno, NV $62,554
Engineers, All Other $99,310 Reno, NV $98,327
Aerospace Engineers $89,460 Reno, NV $88,574
Cost Estimators $82,270 Reno, NV $81,455

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Sparks at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 109,106 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $86,979 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 26.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 101.0 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Sparks-Area Cities With Mechanical Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mechanical engineering schools are near Sparks, NV?

Our directory has 1 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs near Sparks. The closest is University of Nevada-Reno in Reno, NV (5.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Nevada-Reno (5.8 miles). 1 of the highlighted schools is flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying mechanical engineering roles near Sparks?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mechanical engineering-related roles near Sparks are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($160,900), Industrial Engineers ($103,060), Mechanical Engineers ($101,520). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Nevada statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Reno instead of Sparks?

Reno, NV is 7.4 miles from Sparks and has its own set of local mechanical engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sparks an affordable place to study mechanical engineering?

Sparks’s median household income of $86,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sparks while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Nevada public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Mechanical Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Sparks

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sparks:

Data verified: September 7, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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