The best mechatronics AAS programs in Indiana, ranked
Indiana's mechatronics AAS lineup is anchored by Vincennes University's nationally distinctive Amazon DOL apprenticeship pathway. Ivy Tech Community College offers a broader statewide reach through its Advanced Automation and Robotics Technology AAS at 24 campuses (the formal mechatronics-track associate at Ivy Tech).
Vincennes, IN
AS in Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics & Mechatronics
Vincennes University
Vincennes University hosts the country's first nationally registered DOL mechatronics apprenticeship through Amazon (running on the Vincennes campus since 2020). AMT (Advanced Manufacturing Technician) pathway through the FAME consortium lets students earn while learning with two full years of paid on-the-job experience that covers tuition and fees. Southern Indiana location with strong Toyota, AMCOR, and Hershey supplier base.
Tuition
$5,800/yr
Duration
24 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
Regionally accredited (HLC)
Hiring employers
Apprenticeship partners
Overall
74
of 100
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Why Indiana is one of the strongest mechatronics technician states
Indiana has the highest manufacturing employment per capita of any US state. Roughly 17 percent of Indiana workers are in manufacturing, compared to about 8 percent nationally. Auto-assembly base (Toyota Princeton, Honda Greensburg, Subaru of Indiana Automotive Lafayette, GM Fort Wayne) plus engine manufacturing (Cummins Columbus, Rolls-Royce Indianapolis), pharma (Eli Lilly Indianapolis), and the broader NW Indiana steel-and-petrochemical corridor (ArcelorMittal, US Steel, BP Whiting refinery) create steady mechatronics-technician hiring.
The Vincennes / Amazon DOL mechatronics apprenticeship
Vincennes University hosts the country's first nationally registered Department of Labor mechatronics apprenticeship through Amazon. Started 2020, the program is a 12-week residential intensive at the Vincennes campus combined with two years of paid on-the-job training at sponsoring Amazon fulfillment and operations centers. Total wages over the apprenticeship typically exceed $60,000, with tuition and fees covered. Graduates qualify for Amazon's Maintenance Technician 3 role with a clear career ladder into engineering roles.
The program is structured through the FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education) Advanced Manufacturing Technician pathway, with the So.INFAME chapter at Vincennes also including Toyota, Toyota Boshoku Indiana, AMCOR, Ameriqual, Farbest Foods, and The Hershey Company as sponsoring employers. This is the most-recognized US mechatronics apprenticeship outside the SC Apprenticeship Carolina program.
Top Indiana employers hiring mechatronics technicians
Amazon (Vincennes apprenticeship + statewide ops)
Amazon's mechatronics apprenticeship is centered at Vincennes but places graduates across Amazon's national operations. Plus Amazon's broader Indiana operations (Whitestown, Plainfield, Jeffersonville fulfillment centers) hire mechatronics technicians directly.
Cummins (Columbus HQ + multi-site)
Cummins headquartered in Columbus, IN with engine manufacturing across IN. One of the largest IN engineering employers with consistent technician hiring across diesel and hybrid engine systems.
Toyota Indiana (Princeton)
Toyota's southwest IN assembly plant. Highlander, Sienna, Sequoia, Grand Highlander. Heavily automated three-shift operation.
Honda Manufacturing (Greensburg)
Honda's Greensburg, IN plant. Civic and Insight assembly. Modern plant with extensive automation.
Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Lafayette)
Only Subaru manufacturing operation in the Western Hemisphere. Outback, Legacy, Ascent, Impreza.
Rolls-Royce North America (Indianapolis)
Aerospace engine manufacturing. Precision machining and assembly automation. Defense and commercial aerospace.
Eli Lilly (Indianapolis)
Pharmaceutical manufacturing. Heavy automation across drug formulation, packaging, and quality systems.
NW Indiana steel and petrochemical
ArcelorMittal, US Steel, BP Whiting refinery. Continuous-process mechatronics work.
Mechatronics technician salary in Indiana
- Mechanical Engineering Technologists (SOC 17-3027) in IN: median around $60,000 to $67,000.
- Mechanical Engineering Technicians (SOC 17-3024) in IN: median around $57,000 to $63,000.
- Entry-level AAS graduate wages: $44,000 to $54,000 typical. Cummins, Eli Lilly, and Rolls-Royce pay at the upper end.
- Amazon apprenticeship wages: $20-$28/hour during the apprenticeship, $30+/hour at Maintenance Technician 3 post-graduation.
- Cost of living in Indianapolis runs around 88-92 percent of US average. Smaller IN cities run around 82-87 percent.
From AAS to bachelor's: Indiana transfer pathways
- Purdue Polytechnic Statewide Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS (ABET-ETAC): 5 locations including West Lafayette flagship, Kokomo, Anderson, Columbus, New Albany.
- Anderson University BS in Mechatronics Engineering (ABET-EAC): one of only 7 US programs accredited under specific Mechatronics Program Criteria.
- Indiana Tech BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering: Fort Wayne, launched 2022.
- Trine University BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering: Angola, in the Wade Department of ME.
- USI BSE with Mechatronics Emphasis (ABET-EAC): Evansville.
Best Indiana cities for mechatronics technician careers
Vincennes / Southwest IN
Home to the Vincennes / Amazon apprenticeship. Plus Toyota Princeton 30 minutes south.
Indianapolis metro
Eli Lilly headquarters, Rolls-Royce North America, plus broader Indianapolis-area manufacturing.
Columbus, IN
Cummins headquarters and engine manufacturing. Strong central IN employer base.
Lafayette / West Lafayette
Subaru of Indiana Automotive plus Purdue University main campus.
Anderson, IN
Anderson University EAC mechatronics BS plus Purdue Polytechnic Anderson ETAC option. Honda Aero operations nearby.
Hammond / NW Indiana
Purdue Northwest plus steel-and-petrochemical industrial corridor.
How we ranked Indiana mechatronics AAS programs
Every program scored on our 7-factor methodology. See the full methodology breakdown. Vincennes scores very high on employer signal (Amazon DOL apprenticeship is uniquely distinctive nationally) and pathways (integrates work-experience with degree completion).
Indiana mechatronics AAS: frequently asked questions
Where can I get a mechatronics AAS in Indiana?
What is the Amazon DOL mechatronics apprenticeship at Vincennes?
What does a mechatronics technician earn in Indiana?
Can I transfer an IN mechatronics AAS to a bachelor's?
Is Indiana a good state for mechatronics technician careers?
Sources
- BLS OEWS for SOC 17-3024 and 17-3027 in Indiana, May 2024 release.
- Indiana Economic Development Corporation: state manufacturing employment data.
- Vincennes University AS in Advanced Manufacturing, Robotics & Mechatronics.
- Vincennes/Amazon Mechatronics Apprenticeship milestone announcement.
- Ivy Tech Community College Advanced Automation and Robotics Technology program.
- Learn More Indiana: 21st Century Scholars and Frank O'Bannon Grant.