The 2 best mechatronics bachelor's programs in Illinois, ranked
Illinois has only two dedicated mechatronics-titled bachelor's degree programs, and both happen to be ABET-EAC accredited public universities. NIU is the more-established program with named industry partners. SIUE is the newer combined-title (mechatronics and robotics) program with the accelerated BS+MS option. Pick by geography and graduate-school intent.
DeKalb, IL
BS in Mechatronics Engineering
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University runs the only ABET-EAC accredited Mechatronics Engineering BS in Illinois and is regularly cited as one of fewer than ten EAC-accredited mechatronics engineering BS programs in the entire United States. Industry partnerships with Omron, Siemens, Collins Aerospace, Adept Robotics, and John Deere feed graduates directly into the Chicago manufacturing corridor. Curriculum spans robotics, automation, AI, machine learning, control systems, embedded systems, and signal processing in a tight interdisciplinary structure.
Tuition
$13,500/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
ABET-EAC
Hiring employers
Overall
76
of 100
Click any factor for details
Edwardsville, IL
BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville runs an EAC-accredited BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering, one of the few US programs combining both titles in a single degree. The two-semester senior design capstone plus URCA undergraduate research opportunities anchor an applied curriculum that places graduates into robotics, autonomous vehicles, aerospace, defense, medical devices, and agriculture technology. SIUE's accelerated BS+MS option lets motivated students continue into graduate work without losing time.
Tuition
$11,000/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
ABET-EAC
Overall
74
of 100
Click any factor for details
Why Illinois is one of the top states for a mechatronics engineering career
Illinois has the third-largest manufacturing workforce in the US after California and Texas (~540,000+ manufacturing employees). The mix is unusually broad: Caterpillar heavy equipment in Peoria, John Deere agricultural equipment headquartered in Moline (just across the IA border), Boeing's Chicago corporate base, Abbott Labs and AbbVie pharmaceutical manufacturing, Mondelez and Kraft Heinz food processing, Motorola Solutions, plus a dense Tier-1 automotive supplier base feeding NW Indiana steel and Detroit auto operations.
For mechatronics engineers, the Chicago metro alone provides access to roughly half the state's engineering job postings. The NW Indiana steel and petrochemical belt (just over the state line) effectively functions as an extension of the Chicago manufacturing economy. SIUE's metro-east location adds Boeing Defense in St. Louis, Scott AFB, and the World Wide Technology corporate base.
Top Illinois employers hiring mechatronics engineers
Caterpillar (Peoria headquarters + multiple IL plants)
Caterpillar's global headquarters is in Deerfield (Chicago suburb) with major engineering and manufacturing in Peoria, East Peoria, Decatur, Aurora, and Mossville. Heavy hydraulic and electromechanical equipment design plus large-scale manufacturing automation. Mechatronics engineers work across product development and plant automation roles.
John Deere (Moline + Quad Cities region)
John Deere headquartered just over the IA border in Moline but with major IL operations across the Quad Cities region. Agricultural equipment manufacturing is increasingly automation-heavy. NIU's named partnership with Deere feeds into engineering hiring directly.
Boeing (Chicago corporate, St. Louis area)
Boeing's corporate headquarters is in Arlington, VA now but historic Chicago presence remains. Boeing Defense, Space and Security has major engineering operations in St. Louis (across the river from SIUE in Edwardsville). F/A-18, F-15EX, T-7A Red Hawk production.
Abbott Laboratories and AbbVie (North Chicago)
Pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. Abbott and AbbVie (spun off from Abbott in 2013) both run heavily-automated production facilities. Mechatronics engineers contribute to instrument design, lab automation, and pharmaceutical manufacturing process engineering.
Motorola Solutions (Chicago)
Public safety and enterprise communications equipment. Heavy embedded systems and mechatronics work on radios, body cameras, dispatch consoles, and security systems.
Tenneco, Continental, Flex-N-Gate (Tier-1 automotive)
Major Tier-1 automotive supplier presence across Illinois feeding Detroit and Chicago-area assembly operations.
Mondelez, Kraft Heinz, ConAgra (food processing)
Heavy food-processing automation. Mondelez global headquarters in Chicago. Lower-pay than aerospace and defense but stable employment with strong overtime opportunities.
NW Indiana steel and petrochemical (Hammond, Gary, East Chicago)
Just over the state line but functionally part of the Chicago metro engineering market. ArcelorMittal (now Cleveland-Cliffs), US Steel, BP Whiting refinery. Heavy process-automation work.
Mechatronics engineer salary in Illinois
- Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141) in IL: median around $90,000 to $99,000.
- Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199, includes mechatronics engineers) in IL: median around $97,000 to $107,000.
- Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071) in IL: median around $100,000 to $110,000.
- Entry-level BS graduate wages: $70,000 to $82,000 typical in IL manufacturing. Caterpillar, John Deere, Boeing Defense pay at the upper end.
- Cost of living in Chicago metro runs around 110 percent of US average. Outside Chicago (DeKalb, Peoria, Quad Cities, Edwardsville) cost of living drops to 90 to 95 percent of US average.
Paying for a mechatronics bachelor's in Illinois
- NIU in-state tuition: around $13,500 per year. Out-of-state runs about $24,000.
- SIUE in-state tuition: around $11,000 per year. Out-of-state about $22,500.
- Illinois MAP Grant: need-based state grant up to $7,500 per year for IL residents at participating institutions including NIU and SIUE.
- Federal Pell Grants: up to $7,395 per year for eligible students.
- Illinois AIM HIGH Grant: additional merit/need-based grant program at participating IL public universities.
Best Illinois cities for mechatronics careers
Chicago metro (Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry counties)
Largest concentration of mechatronics engineering jobs in IL. Caterpillar HQ, Boeing legacy operations, Motorola Solutions, Mondelez, Abbott/AbbVie, plus dense Tier-1 supplier base.
DeKalb / Rockford / NW Illinois
Home to Northern Illinois University. Strong manufacturing base in Rockford (aerospace, machine tools). Rockford has a long aerospace manufacturing history (Sundstrand/Hamilton Sundstrand, now Collins Aerospace, direct NIU partner).
Peoria / Central Illinois
Caterpillar manufacturing and engineering. Smaller engineer pool but high concentration of heavy-equipment mechatronics work.
Edwardsville / Metro East (St. Louis area)
Home to SIU Edwardsville. Metro-east of St. Louis. Boeing Defense, Scott AFB, World Wide Technology, plus St. Louis aerospace and defense employer base accessible across the river.
Quad Cities (Moline, Rock Island, plus Davenport IA)
John Deere headquarters and major manufacturing. Cross-border Quad Cities metro covers both IL and IA.
How we ranked Illinois mechatronics programs
Every program scored on our 7-factor methodology: accreditation (25 percent), program leadership (15 percent), pathways and laddering (15 percent), delivery format (15 percent), employer signal (15 percent), cost and affordability (10 percent), reputation (5 percent). See the full methodology breakdown. NIU scores higher on employer signal because of named industry partnerships. SIUE scores higher on pathways because of the BS+MS accelerated option. Total scores end up close.
Illinois mechatronics bachelor's: frequently asked questions
Which Illinois school has the best mechatronics engineering bachelor's degree?
How much does an Illinois mechatronics bachelor's cost?
What does a mechatronics engineer earn in Illinois?
Is NIU really one of six ABET-EAC mechatronics BS programs in the US?
What's the difference between NIU's and SIUE's mechatronics programs?
Sources
- BLS OEWS for SOC 17-2141, 17-2199, 17-2071 in Illinois, May 2024 release.
- Illinois Manufacturers' Association: state manufacturing employment data.
- NIU and SIUE engineering catalog data.
- NIU BS in Mechatronics Engineering program page.
- SIUE BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering program page.
- ABET Accredited Program Search: NIU and SIUE EAC accreditation status.
- HLC: Higher Learning Commission institutional accreditation for both universities.
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission: MAP Grant and AIM HIGH eligibility rules.