Best Mechanical Engineering Schools Near San Marcos, TX (2026)

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

San Marcos, Texas has 4 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $2,550 to $48,004 per year for indexed programs. San Marcos has a population of about 68,920. Median household income is $51,030 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 37.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, the top-earning mechanical engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Managers at a median $176,540 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Mechanical Engineering Schools to San Marcos

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

The University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX 30.3 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $75,121
Avg net price $19,857/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 96%
  • Programs offered: 180

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Austin Community College District

Austin, TX 33.7 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,177
Avg net price $6,390/yr
Tuition
In‑state$2,550
Out‑of‑state$10,590
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

The University of Texas at San Antonio

San Antonio, TX 46.1 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,131
Avg net price $10,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 120

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Schreiner University

Kerrville, TX 72.6 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
46.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 88%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,228
Avg net price $21,507/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,266
Out‑of‑state$39,266
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Texas A&M University-College Station

College Station, TX 108.1 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
81.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,097
Avg net price $21,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 233

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Prairie View A & M University

Prairie View, TX 117.2 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,411
Avg net price $13,570/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Baylor University

Waco, TX 125.0 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
70.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 51%
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,793
Avg net price $41,104/yr
Tuition
In‑state$58,100
Out‑of‑state$58,100
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 141

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Lone Star College System

The Woodlands, TX 147.7 miles from San Marcos
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 20%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,466
Avg net price $11,252/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 68

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 San Marcos

San Marcos is part of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area (BLS area code 12420). 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 $106,690 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $108,756
Architectural and Engineering Managers $176,540 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $179,959
Industrial Engineers $103,610 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $105,617
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians $64,600 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $65,851
Mechanical Drafters $77,160 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $78,654
Engineers, All Other $109,610 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $111,733
Aerospace Engineers $123,210 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $125,596
Cost Estimators $78,650 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $80,173

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.

San Marcos at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 68,920 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $51,030 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 37.3% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.1 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other San Marcos-Area Cities With Mechanical Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited mechanical engineering schools are near San Marcos, TX?

Our directory has 4 accredited schools offering mechanical engineering programs near San Marcos. The closest is The University of Texas at Austin in Austin, TX (30.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Schreiner University (72.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying mechanical engineering roles near San Marcos?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying mechanical engineering-related roles near San Marcos are: Architectural and Engineering Managers ($176,540), Aerospace Engineers ($123,210), Engineers, All Other ($109,610). 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 Kyle instead of San Marcos?

Kyle, TX is 9.5 miles from San Marcos 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 San Marcos an affordable place to study mechanical engineering?

San Marcos’s median household income of $51,030 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in San Marcos 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 San Marcos

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

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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