Best Mechatronics Bachelor's Programs in Indiana, Ranked (2026)
Indiana has the deepest mechatronics bachelor's lineup of any US state. Ten distinct BS programs span the state across multiple accreditation tiers: Anderson University's ABET-EAC mechatronics engineering (one of fewer than seven US programs under specific Program Criteria), Purdue Polytechnic's ABET-ETAC Mechatronics Engineering Technology delivered at five statewide locations (West Lafayette + Kokomo + Anderson + Columbus + New Albany), Purdue Northwest's ABET-ETAC program with 94 percent placement, Indiana Tech, Trine University, and USI's ABET-EAC BSE with Mechatronics Emphasis. Indiana has the highest US manufacturing employment per capita; the lineup matches the industry depth.
edited by taylor rupe, b.s. computer science · software engineer
updated
IN programs ranked
10
2 EAC + 6 ETAC + 2 regional
IN engineer median
$87K-$95K
SOC 17-2199, BLS OEWS
PNW placement rate
94%
2023-24 Next Step Survey
IN mfg employment
540K+
Highest per capita in US
The 10 best mechatronics bachelor's programs in Indiana, ranked
Indiana's mechatronics BS lineup spans EAC engineering, ETAC engineering technology, and regional-only programs across the state. Anderson University and USI hold ABET-EAC accreditation. Purdue's ABET-ETAC Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS is delivered at five locations through the Polytechnic Statewide model. Purdue Northwest adds an additional ABET-ETAC program at Hammond. Indiana Tech and Trine round out with regional-only mechatronics-titled bachelor's degrees in Fort Wayne and Angola.
Purdue University Northwest runs an ABET-ETAC accredited BS in Mechatronics Engineering Technology at the Hammond campus, in the heart of NW Indiana's steel-and-petrochemical manufacturing belt. PNW's College of Technology reported a 94 percent placement rate in the 2023-24 Next Step Survey. Industry partnerships span Rockwell Automation, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, ArcelorMittal, Ford Motor Company, NiSource, and Honeywell Aerospace — feeding directly into the Chicago-metro heavy-manufacturing employer base.
Tuition
$8,000/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
ABET-ETAC
Hiring employers
Rockwell AutomationMitsubishi ElectricArcelorMittalFord Motor CompanyNiSourceHoneywell Aerospace
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
75
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Purdue Polytechnic Columbus is located in Cummins' hometown — graduates feed straight into Cummins' engine, generator, and emissions controls workforce. Plus Toyota Material Handling and NTN Driveshaft round out the local employer base. Co-located with Ivy Tech Columbus on the educational corridor.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
74
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Purdue Polytechnic New Albany is the only mechatronics BS in southern Indiana within commuting distance of Louisville. Targets the Ohio River industrial corridor including Ford Kentucky Truck Plant, GE Appliances Louisville, and UPS Worldport.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
74
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Purdue Polytechnic Kokomo delivers the same ABET-ETAC accredited Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS curriculum as the West Lafayette flagship, but locally so working manufacturing technicians never leave Kokomo. Stellantis Kokomo Transmission Plant plus Haynes International anchor the central Indiana manufacturing corridor pipeline.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
66
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
University of Southern Indiana's BSE with Mechatronics Emphasis sits inside the broader ABET-EAC accredited BSE (Bachelor of Science in Engineering). The mechatronics emphasis is a formal track adding mechatronics-focused upper-division coursework to the EAC engineering credential. Evansville location with strong Toyota Indiana (Princeton plant 25 minutes north) and broader southwest IN manufacturing placement.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
60
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
50
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Anderson University (Indiana) is one of only a handful of US institutions whose Mechatronics Engineering BS is ABET-EAC accredited specifically under the Program Criteria for Mechatronics and Similarly Named Engineering Programs — most other accredited US mechatronics BS programs use the General Criteria alone. The four-year curriculum gives students background and experience in optimal controls, robust controls, adaptable controls, robotics, machine learning, and computer vision — coursework that prepares graduates for the FE-to-PE engineering licensure track. Faith-based liberal-arts setting wrapped around a serious hands-on engineering core; small-cohort delivery throughout.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
50
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
40
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
80
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Purdue Polytechnic's flagship Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS at the West Lafayette main campus. ABET-ETAC accredited. Covers pneumatic, mechanical, electronic, and hydraulic systems, microcontroller interfacing, machine learning applied to manufacturing, and applied automation. Big Ten-housed mechatronics ET track that articulates from Polytechnic Statewide sites.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
50
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Purdue Polytechnic Anderson delivers the ABET-ETAC accredited Purdue Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS at the Anderson statewide site (1920 Purdue Parkway). Direct overlap with Anderson University's mechatronics engineering BS already in our directory — Anderson, IN is one of the rare US cities with both an EAC engineering program and an ETAC engineering technology program in the same field.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
75
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
50
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
70
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Indiana Tech's Talwar College of Engineering launched the BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering in Fall 2022 in direct response to a 19-employer regional survey where 84 percent projected mechatronics hiring in the next 5 years. Integrates mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering in a single four-year track (135 credit hours). Built for Fort Wayne's manufacturing corridor with named industry partnerships at Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, GM, Navistar, NASA, Zimmer Biomet, and Steel Dynamics.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
65
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
75
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
40
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Trine University's BS in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering is housed in the Wade Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering inside the Allen School of Engineering and Computing. The 129-credit program builds on a mechanical + electrical engineering foundation with an added mechatronics/robotics core. Trine's mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering programs are separately ABET-EAC accredited; mechatronics is the newer offering not yet on the ABET list.
Accreditation (25%) ABET-EAC scores highest (opens FE-to-PE engineering licensure in all 50 states). ABET-ETAC next (technologist track, PE-eligible in ~30 states with extra requirements). Regional institutional accreditation gets baseline. Weighted 25%.
60
Leadership (15%) Program age and maturity, scored from accreditation history. Programs with 10+ years of continuous accreditation score higher than newer ones. Weighted 15%.
65
Pathways (15%) Apprenticeships, AAS-to-BS transfer paths, BS-to-MS laddering at the same school. Programs paired with DOL-registered apprenticeships score highest. Weighted 15%.
70
Delivery (15%) Format flexibility. Fully online and hybrid programs score higher than on-campus only because they expand access for working adults, parents, and rural students. Weighted 15%.
50
Employer (15%) Named industry partners, apprenticeship sponsors, and vendor CERT partnerships (Siemens SMSCP, FANUC CERT). More employer relationships = higher score. Weighted 15%.
25
Cost (10%) Lower in-state tuition scores higher. Community-college tuition scores best, expensive private universities worst. Per-tier cost brackets defined on the methodology page. Weighted 10%.
65
Reputation (5%) Institutional brand and recognition. Tier-1 engineering schools (RIT, Kettering, Michigan Tech, Penn State) score highest; named mechatronics programs get tier-2; the rest get baseline. Weighted 5%.
Why Indiana is one of the top states for a mechatronics engineering career
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. The base is diversified: auto assembly (Toyota Princeton, Honda Greensburg, Subaru Lafayette, GM Fort Wayne), engine manufacturing (Cummins Columbus headquarters), aerospace (Rolls-Royce North America corporate), pharmaceutical (Eli Lilly headquarters), plus a Tier-1 supplier base feeding Detroit and the broader Midwest auto industry.
For mechatronics engineers specifically, the diverse manufacturing base means broad career options. Cummins alone runs sophisticated engine-and-powertrain automation that's mechatronics-engineer-heavy. Toyota Indiana, Honda Greensburg, and Subaru of Indiana Automotive all run heavily automated assembly operations. NW Indiana's steel corridor (ArcelorMittal/Cleveland-Cliffs, U.S. Steel, BP Whiting refinery) needs process-automation engineers.
Top Indiana employers hiring mechatronics engineers
Cummins (Columbus, IN headquarters)
Cummins is headquartered in Columbus, IN with major engine manufacturing operations across the state. Engine systems are mechatronics-heavy: fuel injection, electronic engine controls, turbocharger integration, emissions systems. Cummins is one of the largest engineering employers in Indiana with a deep history of mechatronics innovation.
Toyota Indiana (Princeton)
Toyota's southwest Indiana assembly plant builds the Highlander, Sienna, Sequoia, and Grand Highlander. Heavily automated three-shift operation. Toyota T-TEN apprenticeship program ties into Ivy Tech and partnering schools.
Honda Manufacturing (Greensburg, IN)
Honda's Greensburg, IN plant assembles the Civic and Insight. Modern Honda plant with extensive automation. Plus Anderson, IN-area Honda Aero engines operations.
Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Lafayette)
Builds Outback, Legacy, Ascent, and Impreza. The only Subaru manufacturing operation in the Western Hemisphere. Heavily automated assembly with growing EV development.
GM Fort Wayne Assembly
GM's pickup truck plant. Silverado and Sierra HD production. Major assembly automation with strong overtime opportunities.
Eli Lilly (Indianapolis headquarters)
Eli Lilly's pharmaceutical manufacturing has a heavy automation footprint across drug formulation, packaging, and quality systems. Higher-paid than discrete-manufacturing mechatronics work but more regulated.
Rolls-Royce North America (Indianapolis)
Aerospace engine manufacturing. Precision machining and assembly automation. Defense and commercial aerospace engineering.
NW Indiana steel and petrochemical (Hammond, Gary, East Chicago)
ArcelorMittal (now Cleveland-Cliffs), U.S. Steel, BP Whiting refinery. Continuous-process mechatronics work. Purdue Northwest is positioned in the middle of this employer corridor.
Mechatronics engineer salary in Indiana
Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141) in IN: median around $85,000 to $93,000.
Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199, includes mechatronics engineers) in IN: median around $87,000 to $95,000.
Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071) in IN: median around $90,000 to $98,000.
Entry-level BS graduate wages: $65,000 to $78,000 typical in IN manufacturing. Cummins, Eli Lilly, and Rolls-Royce pay at the upper end.
Cost of living in Indianapolis runs around 90 percent of US average. Most of IN runs 85 to 90 percent of US average, making it one of the most-affordable states for engineering wages versus cost of living.
Paying for a mechatronics bachelor's in Indiana
Purdue Northwest in-state tuition: around $8,000 per year. Out-of-state about $19,000.
Anderson University tuition: around $34,000 per year (private). Strong institutional aid available.
Indiana 21st Century Scholars Program: covers tuition at participating IN institutions for income-qualified IN residents who enroll by 8th grade.
Frank O'Bannon Grant: need-based state aid for IN residents at IN institutions.
INvestED: Indiana student loan resources and aid navigation.
Federal Pell Grants: up to $7,395 per year for eligible students.
Best Indiana cities for mechatronics careers
Anderson
Home to Anderson University. Honda Aero engines operations in the area. Central Indiana location with reasonable Indianapolis commute access.
Hammond / NW Indiana
Home to Purdue Northwest. Heart of the steel-and-petrochemical industrial corridor. ArcelorMittal, U.S. Steel, BP Whiting refinery, plus dozens of Tier-1 automotive suppliers feeding Chicago.
Indianapolis
Eli Lilly headquarters, Rolls-Royce North America, plus broader pharma, aerospace, and tech engineering employer base. Strong cost-of-living value.
Columbus, IN
Cummins headquarters and major engine manufacturing operations. Small city with outsized engineering employment for its population.
Lafayette / West Lafayette
Home to Purdue University main campus (mechatronics-adjacent ME and EE programs). Subaru of Indiana Automotive nearby. Major engineering research base.
Greensburg / Princeton (auto plant cities)
Honda Greensburg and Toyota Princeton respectively. Smaller cities anchored by major Japanese OEM plants with strong local engineering employment.
How we ranked Indiana 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. Anderson scores highest on accreditation (EAC under Program Criteria). PNW scores highest on cost (public tuition) and employer signal (named industry partners with 94% placement rate). Total scores end up close.
Which Indiana school has the best mechatronics bachelor's degree?
Indiana has the deepest mechatronics BS lineup of any US state, with 10 distinct programs in our directory. Anderson University holds ABET-EAC accreditation under the specific Mechatronics Engineering Program Criteria (one of fewer than seven US programs at that tier). Purdue Polytechnic's ABET-ETAC Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS is offered at five locations (West Lafayette flagship + Kokomo + Anderson + Columbus + New Albany statewide sites). Purdue Northwest, Indiana Tech, Trine University, and USI BSE with Mechatronics Emphasis round out the bachelor's options.
Why is Anderson University's mechatronics program special?
Anderson is one of only six to seven US institutions whose Mechatronics Engineering BS holds ABET-EAC accreditation under the specific Program Criteria for Mechatronics Engineering and Similarly Named Engineering Programs (most other EAC mechatronics programs are accredited under General Criteria only). The faith-based liberal-arts setting wraps around a serious hands-on engineering core covering robotics, machine learning, computer vision, and adaptive controls. Anderson, IN is also one of the rare US cities with both an EAC mechatronics engineering program and an ETAC mechatronics engineering technology program (Purdue Polytechnic Anderson is across town).
What is Purdue Polytechnic Statewide and how does it work?
Purdue Polytechnic's Mechatronics Engineering Technology BS (ABET-ETAC) is delivered at the West Lafayette flagship plus four statewide sites: Kokomo (Stellantis pipeline), Anderson (alongside Anderson University), Columbus (Cummins hometown), and New Albany (Louisville metro). All five locations share the same Purdue ABET-ETAC accredited curriculum, but local delivery means working manufacturing technicians can earn a Big Ten mechatronics ET degree without relocating.
What does a mechatronics engineer earn in Indiana?
BLS state OEWS data for SOC 17-2199 (Engineers, All Other) in Indiana shows median wages around $87,000 to $95,000. SOC 17-2141 (Mechanical Engineers) in IN runs $85,000 to $93,000 median. Entry-level BS graduates start around $65,000 to $78,000 in IN manufacturing. Toyota Indiana, Cummins, Honda Greensburg, Subaru of Indiana, Eli Lilly, and Rolls-Royce pay competitively at the engineer tier.
Should I pick an EAC engineering BS or an ETAC engineering technology BS in Indiana?
Pick EAC (Anderson University, USI) if you want the PE-licensure-eligible engineer track, generally needed for design engineering roles at major OEMs and government work. Pick ETAC (Purdue Polytechnic Statewide, Purdue Northwest) if you want a more applied technologist track with strong manufacturing-engineering placement and lower friction to industry hiring. Indiana Tech and Trine's mechatronics-titled BS programs are regional-only (not ABET-accredited) but built around Fort Wayne/Northeast IN industry partnerships.
Sources
BLS OEWS for SOC 17-2141, 17-2199, 17-2071 in Indiana, May 2024 release.
