Best General Engineering Master’s Programs in Indiana
Purdue’s Interdisciplinary Engineering MS/MSE offers an online route through advanced subjects from more than one engineering field. This 2026 ranking of general engineering master’s programs in Indiana reviews its 30-credit plan, optional concentrations and minimum for Purdue graduate engineering coursework.
The degree is designed around an approved individual plan. Purdue awards either an MS or MSE depending on the student’s undergraduate degree, while the major remains Interdisciplinary Engineering. That combination makes the exact academic plan more useful to examine than the degree abbreviation alone.
How we ranked general engineering master’s programs in Indiana
This Indiana selection reviews Purdue University’s current online Interdisciplinary Engineering MS/MSE. The official program requirements establish the degree title, technical credit minimum, concentration choices and admissions preparation. The review uses the program’s own resident and nonresident tuition figures.
One program is reviewed on this page. Purdue’s place in this selection rests on the substantial graduate engineering minimum and the flexibility to build an approved technical focus across subjects. The review evaluates that academic structure and its planning conditions without treating the broad degree as an unrestricted set of electives.
These are the rates displayed on the online Interdisciplinary Engineering program page at review. They are per-credit tuition figures, not a full cost-of-attendance estimate. Check the university bill and current rate schedule for fees and any subsequent changes.
Purdue gives a broad engineering master’s a clear technical boundary: at least 18 of the 30 credits must be Purdue graduate engineering courses. Within that requirement, students can build an advisor-approved plan and add up to two concentrations. That is useful when an engineering problem crosses established departments but still needs a sustained technical focus. A vehicle-systems or computational concentration, for example, provides a defined direction within the Interdisciplinary Engineering major. The degree’s appeal is the combination of that structure with online delivery. Its value depends on choosing courses that work together, rather than collecting unrelated subjects because they happen to be available.
Where it stands out
Consider Purdue when you already know the technical combination you want to develop and need to study online. Its optional concentrations give you a way to organize that combination while keeping the broader Interdisciplinary Engineering major on your academic record.
What to weigh
This level of choice makes early course planning important. A concentration has its own requirements, and the degree allows only a limited share of non-engineering or transferred work. Indiana residency also changes the published per-credit price, so online enrollment does not imply one national tuition rate.
What matters in general engineering master’s programs in Indiana
Graduate engineering at the center of the plan
At least 18 of the 30 credits must be Purdue graduate engineering courses. We assess that technical requirement alongside the permitted supporting work in areas such as mathematics and statistics.
Optional concentrations with specific requirements
Up to two concentrations can help organize the technical direction. They must fit within the degree’s base requirements and appear on the transcript rather than the diploma.
Preparation and tuition matched to the student
Mathematics prerequisites, the undergraduate record and residency-based tuition affect the plan. These requirements remain part of the review even when the courses are delivered online.
Start with the 18-credit Purdue engineering requirement
The degree requires 30 credits, including at least 18 credits of Purdue graduate engineering courses. A maximum of 12 credits can come from specified non-engineering subjects, such as mathematics and statistics, or approved transfer coursework. Transfer credit remains subject to review.
That structure supports an interdisciplinary plan while preserving an engineering core. Identify the advanced technical work you want to undertake, then list the engineering knowledge it requires. Supporting mathematics or statistics should have a clear purpose within that plan rather than simply filling the available non-engineering allowance.
Purdue says an academic advisor helps students map the plan after they begin the program. Before applying, review the published courses and prerequisites for the areas you intend to combine. After admission, use advising to confirm how those choices meet the degree and any concentration requirements.
Use concentrations to define a focus within the broad major
Students may add up to two optional engineering concentrations. Each has its own requirements within the base Interdisciplinary Engineering degree. Purdue identifies areas including computational engineering, systems engineering, integrated vehicle systems, materials engineering and other technical or professional directions.
A concentration appears on the transcript rather than the diploma. The distinction matters when deciding how to describe the award and when evaluating whether a particular concentration supplies the advanced subjects you need. The name of a concentration is a useful starting point; its required courses provide the detail.
For an interest in automated machinery or connected physical systems, the related Mechatronics Programs site can help you explore how mechanical, electrical and control subjects connect. Then examine Purdue’s actual concentration and elective requirements to see whether they support the intended combination.
Read the MS/MSE designation alongside the entry requirements
Purdue’s program awards the MS or MSE according to undergraduate preparation; the major is Interdisciplinary Engineering in either case. Applicants should use the university’s determination of the award rather than assume that choosing an optional concentration changes the degree letters.
The published admission criteria include a minimum 3.0 GPA and a mathematics background with one semester each of Calculus I and II, plus either Linear Algebra or Differential Equations. Engineering, science, mathematics or technology undergraduate preparation is preferred.
The application includes transcripts, three recommendations, an academic statement of purpose, a personal history statement and a professional resume. Use the academic statement to explain the proposed technical direction. A broad degree benefits from a specific explanation of why the selected subjects belong together.
Keep residency and any concurrent degree in the cost plan
Purdue publishes tuition of $1,139 per credit for Indiana residents and $1,459 for nonresidents for this online program. The distance format therefore does not remove the published residency distinction. Use the classification that actually applies to the student when estimating tuition.
The program is also eligible to be taken concurrently with an online MBA or Master of Business and Technology. A concurrent degree has its own curriculum and credit-sharing rules. The 30-credit engineering requirement should not be read as the total coursework or price for two degrees.
Build the budget from the approved engineering plan first, including any transfer decisions, then examine a separate concurrent-degree plan if it serves a clear purpose. Employer reimbursement also needs to be matched to the actual registration and billing schedule rather than assumed to cover every expense.
The national general engineering master’s ranking includes programs with research theses, required projects and other professional course structures. Our methodology explains how those academic differences shape the reviews.
Questions, answered
What else should you know?
Can I earn a general engineering master’s online in Indiana?+
Purdue offers the online Interdisciplinary Engineering MS/MSE reviewed here. It requires 30 credits with at least 18 credits of Purdue graduate engineering study and an approved plan for the remaining coursework.
What is the major in Purdue’s interdisciplinary master’s?+
The major is Interdisciplinary Engineering. Purdue awards an MS or MSE depending on the student’s undergraduate degree. Optional concentrations appear on the transcript rather than the diploma.
Can I choose more than one concentration?+
Purdue permits up to two optional concentrations, each with specific requirements that fit within the base degree plan. Work with the academic advisor to determine how the proposed courses satisfy both the degree and concentration rules.
Does Purdue charge the same online tuition to Indiana residents and nonresidents?+
The program publishes different rates: $1,139 per credit for Indiana residents and $1,459 for nonresidents. Use the actual residency classification and approved course plan when estimating the tuition.
How are general engineering master’s programs in Indiana reviewed here?+
This page provides one full review of Purdue’s verified interdisciplinary award, including the graduate engineering minimum, concentration structure, entry preparation and published tuition. It is a reviewed selection rather than a claim to list every graduate program in Indiana.
Continue your graduate research
Read the degree requirements behind each ranking
Use the school reviews to check how each program structures coursework, projects and research. Our methodology explains how we select programs and assess their fit.
