Best Mechanical Engineering Schools Near Lancaster, PA (2026)

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

Lancaster, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $15,972 to $37,319 per year for indexed programs. Lancaster has a population of about 57,683. Median household income is $63,421 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Lancaster, PA metro area, the top-earning mechanical engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $147,020 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Mechanical Engineering Schools to Lancaster

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer mechanical engineering programs near Lancaster, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lancaster 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 Lancaster. 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

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 23.5 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
66.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 74%
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,012
Avg net price $18,556/yr
Tuition
In‑state$25,588
Out‑of‑state$25,588
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg

Middletown, PA 25.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
41.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 98%
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $23,330/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,972
Out‑of‑state$26,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks

Reading, PA 27.9 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
37.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 99%
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,435
Avg net price $24,356/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,972
Out‑of‑state$26,958
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Messiah University

Mechanicsburg, PA 37.2 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,064
Avg net price $26,502/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Villanova University

Villanova, PA 50.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 89%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $100,423
Avg net price $43,756/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 94

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Widener University

Chester, PA 51.6 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,920
Avg net price $25,759/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 78%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA 58.9 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $111,371
Avg net price $28,699/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA 59.1 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $84,648
Avg net price $38,509/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 187

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Mechanical Engineering Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Lancaster, PA metro area (BLS area code 29540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Mechanical Engineers $83,710 Lancaster, PA $85,158
Architectural and Engineering Managers $147,020 Lancaster, PA $149,563
Industrial Engineers $97,770 Lancaster, PA $99,461
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians $62,970 Lancaster, PA $64,059
Mechanical Drafters $61,270 Lancaster, PA $62,330
Engineers, All Other $96,500 Lancaster, PA $98,169
Aerospace Engineers $133,940 PA statewide $136,256
Cost Estimators $77,450 Lancaster, PA $78,789

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.

Lancaster at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 57,683 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,421 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.3 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Mechanical Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mechanical engineering schools are near Lancaster, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs near Lancaster. The closest is York College of Pennsylvania in York, PA (23.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Delaware (38.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mechanical engineering-related roles near Lancaster are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($147,020), Aerospace Engineers ($133,940), Industrial Engineers ($97,770). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lebanon instead of Lancaster?

Lebanon, PA is 21.6 miles from Lancaster 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 Lancaster an affordable place to study mechanical engineering?

Lancaster’s median household income of $63,421 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Lancaster

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

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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