Best Mechanical Engineering Schools Near Abilene, TX (2026)

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

Abilene, Texas has 2 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs. Abilene has a population of about 127,130. Median household income is $62,720 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Abilene, TX metro area, the top-earning mechanical engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $156,940 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Mechanical Engineering Schools to Abilene

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

Angelo State University

San Angelo, TX 82.0 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 48%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,116
Avg net price $15,091/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX 90.2 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,040
Avg net price $20,783/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX 120.8 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,747
Avg net price $11,656/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX 146.3 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
71.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,454
Avg net price $19,070/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 168

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

The University of Texas at Arlington

Arlington, TX 154.0 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,199
Avg net price $13,951/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 99

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX 156.5 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,073
Avg net price $12,723/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 57

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of North Texas

Denton, TX 159.2 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,010
Avg net price $15,649/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 138

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Odessa College

Odessa, TX 159.9 miles from Abilene
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 23%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,026
Avg net price $6,368/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Mechanical Engineering Wages Near Abilene

Abilene is part of the Abilene, TX metro area (BLS area code 10180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Mechanical Engineers $99,460 Abilene, TX $110,022
Architectural and Engineering Managers $156,940 Abilene, TX $173,606
Industrial Engineers $96,840 Abilene, TX $107,124
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians $76,610 TX statewide $84,746
Mechanical Drafters $79,380 TX statewide $87,810
Engineers, All Other $115,810 TX statewide $128,108
Aerospace Engineers $130,270 TX statewide $144,104
Cost Estimators $63,630 Abilene, TX $70,387

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.

Abilene at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 127,130 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $62,720 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 27.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Abilene-Area Cities With Mechanical Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mechanical engineering schools are near Abilene, TX?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs near Abilene. The closest is Angelo State University in San Angelo, TX (82.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tarleton State University (90.2 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mechanical engineering-related roles near Abilene are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($156,940), Aerospace Engineers ($130,270), Engineers, All Other ($115,810). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Brownwood instead of Abilene?

Brownwood, TX is 67.9 miles from Abilene 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 Abilene an affordable place to study mechanical engineering?

Abilene’s median household income of $62,720 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Abilene while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas 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 Abilene

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

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.

Back to Best Mechanical Engineering Schools in Texas (2026)