How We Ranked These Online Engineering Master’s Programs
We included reviewed U.S. general, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary engineering master’s programs whose own pages document an online route, and left out programs that are campus-based or only partly online. Each program earns one point for each of six checks: online completion documented without a required campus visit, asynchronous or no scheduled class meetings, no GRE required, a published per-credit tuition figure, a degree not limited to one online concentration, and a schedule built for practicing engineers. Programs are listed from most checks met to fewest, and ties follow alphabetical order. The score measures fit for a working student, not school prestige or graduate outcomes. Program details were checked October 2, 2026.
Read our engineering ranking methodology for sourcing and editorial standards.
Online Engineering Master’s Programs Compared
| School and Degree | Checks Met | Credits | Delivery Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion University, ME in Systems Engineering | 5 of 6 | 31 semester | Eight-week courses, no scheduled meetings |
| University of Connecticut, MEng in Multidisciplinary Engineering | 5 of 6 | 30 semester | Fully online, evening and part-time |
| University of Minnesota Duluth, MEng in Project Management | 5 of 6 | 30 semester | Asynchronous seven-week courses |
| Auburn University, MEng in Interdisciplinary Engineering | 4 of 6 | 30 semester | Streaming video sections |
| Case Western Reserve University, Master of Engineering | 4 of 6 | 30 semester | Online core and technical sequences |
| University of Arkansas, MS in Engineering | 4 of 6 | 30 semester | Online coursework or project plan |
| University of Wisconsin–Platteville, MS in Engineering | 4 of 6 | 31 to 33 semester | Fully online route |
| Arizona State University, Master of Engineering | 3 of 6 | 30 semester | Entirely online, no campus attendance |
| North Carolina State University, Master of Engineering | 3 of 6 | 30 semester | Engineering Online coursework |
| Purdue University, MS or MSE in Interdisciplinary Engineering | 3 of 6 | 30 semester | Online program |
| Texas Tech University, MEng in Interdisciplinary Engineering | 3 of 6 | 30 semester | Fully online through Whitacre Online Learning |
| UCLA, MS in Engineering Online | 3 of 6 | 36 quarter | Asynchronous on the quarter calendar |
| UC Riverside, MS in Engineering Online | 3 of 6 | 36 quarter | No required campus residency |
| Oregon Institute of Technology, MS in Multidisciplinary Engineering | 2 of 6 | 45 quarter | Online or blended |
| Louisiana Tech University, MS in Engineering | 1 of 6 | 30 to 36 semester | Industrial Engineering track online |
Best for Systems Engineering Without Scheduled Class Meetings
1. Old Dominion University
Master of Engineering, Systems Engineering
- 31 Semester Credits
- Eight-Week Online Courses
- Meets 5 of 6 Checks
Old Dominion’s online route runs on eight-week courses with no scheduled class meetings, though assignment and exam deadlines still apply. That rhythm suits a shift worker or frequent traveler who needs to choose when to log in. The 31 credits center on five core courses in modeling, architectures, model-based design and analysis, followed by a one-credit systems engineering capstone.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Choose Old Dominion if you want a defined systems engineering curriculum and a schedule you can arrange around work.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Open electives come only from graduate ENMA courses, and applicants without calculus-based probability and statistics must add a preparatory course beyond the 31 credits.
Read Old Dominion University’s Master of Engineering, Systems Engineering Details →Best for Evening, Part-Time Study by Practicing Engineers
2. University of Connecticut
Master of Engineering, Multidisciplinary Engineering
- 30 Semester Credits
- Fully Online
- Meets 5 of 6 Checks
UConn organizes this fully online concentration for practicing engineers who study part time in the evening. The 30 credits split into nine core credits in communication, project planning and mathematics or algorithms, eighteen credits of engineering courses and a three-credit capstone project. GRE scores are not required, and applicants without an engineering degree are directed to a program office for assessment first.
Who Should Consider This Program?
A good match when your employer values a professional degree built around project planning rather than a research thesis.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
The comprehensive fee is $1,300 per credit for 2026–27, the concentration cannot sponsor a student visa, and the real meeting schedule should be reviewed course by course.
Read University of Connecticut’s Master of Engineering, Multidisciplinary Engineering Details →Best for Leading Engineering Projects at a Steady Pace
3. University of Minnesota Duluth
Master of Engineering, Project Management Track
- 30 Semester Credits
- Asynchronous Seven-Week Courses
- Meets 5 of 6 Checks
Minnesota Duluth designed its asynchronous seven-week courses to be taken one at a time, which works out to about two years of study alongside a job. A twelve-credit core covers engineering leadership, operations and project management, financial decisions and legal and ethical issues, and eighteen credits are electives. There is no thesis or capstone, and neither the GRE nor the GMAT is required.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Consider it if you are moving toward leading teams and want leadership coursework more than advanced technical analysis.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Some departmental electives meet in person, so confirm remote access with the instructor before building an online course plan.
Read University of Minnesota Duluth’s Master of Engineering, Project Management Track Details →Best for Designing Your Own Interdisciplinary Plan
4. Auburn University
Master of Engineering, Interdisciplinary
- 30 Semester Credits
- Streaming Video Courses
- Meets 4 of 6 Checks
Auburn’s online MEng lets you assemble a coordinated plan with an engineering advisory committee, combining at least 21 credits of 6000-level engineering courses with up to nine credits from outside the college. Courses are delivered by streaming video, and online tuition is $949 per semester credit for residents and nonresidents alike. A program assessment course closes the degree, and there is no thesis.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Works well if your goals cross specialties, such as controls plus management, and you can describe the plan in your own words.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
You must submit a proposed study plan before applying, and research or thesis credits cannot count toward the degree.
Read Auburn University’s Master of Engineering, Interdisciplinary Details →Best for Adding Business and Leadership Skills to a Technical Role
5. Case Western Reserve University
Master of Engineering
- 30 Semester Credits
- Online Core and Technical Sequences
- Meets 4 of 6 Checks
Case Western’s online MEng is designed for engineers already employed in industry. Eighteen core credits cover leadership, business for engineers, product and process design, applied statistics and engineering economics, ending in a team capstone. The other twelve credits form a technical sequence such as mechanical, biomedical or systems and control. Up to six graduate transfer credits may count, and GRE scores are optional.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Choose it when you want to widen your role toward product or program leadership while keeping a technical specialty.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
The technical sequence is only 12 of 30 credits, and the advertised $39,000 tuition depends on a new-student reduction with conditions.
Read Case Western Reserve University’s Master of Engineering Details →Best for One Predictable Per-Credit Price
6. University of Arkansas
Master of Science in Engineering
- 30 Credits
- $393 Per Credit With Distance Fees
- Meets 4 of 6 Checks
Arkansas lists $393 per credit including distance fees, with the same rate for in-state, out-of-state and international students, for a published total of $11,790 across 30 credits. You take four common courses in mathematics, computer applications, technical communication and engineering management, then build a three-course emphasis and finish with coursework or a project. No GRE or similar entrance exam is required.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Suits an engineer who wants one price to budget around and an emphasis drawn from civil, electrical, mechanical or other fields.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Applicants need an engineering bachelor’s degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program or a computer science degree from a CAC/ABET-accredited program.
Read University of Arkansas’s Master of Science in Engineering Details →Best for a Fully Online MS With a Thesis, Capstone or Coursework Finish
7. University of Wisconsin–Platteville
Master of Science in Engineering
- 31 to 33 Credits
- $804.06 Per Credit
- Meets 4 of 6 Checks
Platteville’s fully online MS is $804.06 per credit and requires 31 to 33 credits: a twelve-credit core in mathematics, computer applications, communication and management, a twelve-credit technical emphasis, then a thesis, capstone design project or extra coursework. Emphases include control systems, power and energy systems, structural engineering and engineering design. The program advertises no GRE or GMAT requirement.
Who Should Consider This Program?
A solid match if you want a plain MS title and the option to finish with a capstone design project.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Thesis and project credits must span more than one semester, and the separate Executive Model adds in-person sessions each semester.
Read University of Wisconsin–Platteville’s Master of Science in Engineering Details →Best for Choosing an Exam, Portfolio or Project Finish
8. Arizona State University
Master of Engineering
- 30 Semester Credits
- Entirely Online
- Meets 3 of 6 Checks
Arizona State delivers this MEng entirely through distance learning with no required campus attendance. The 30 credits include applied engineering mathematics and engineering management or business, and half the coursework must be in engineering. Your advisory committee approves how you finish: a comprehensive exam, a portfolio or a practice-oriented project. Emphases include systems engineering, quality and reliability, and engineering management.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Consider it if you want a professional degree that gives you more than one way to show what you learned.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
An emphasis can add its own course requirements, and online charges are program-specific, so use ASU’s cost estimator before budgeting.
Read Arizona State University’s Master of Engineering Details →Best for Pairing a Concentration With an Engineering Online Certificate
9. North Carolina State University
Master of Engineering
- 30 Graded Credits
- No Thesis or Oral Exam
- Meets 3 of 6 Checks
NC State’s online MEng requires 30 graded credits, at least 21 in engineering, computer science or operations research, with no thesis or oral exam. A concentration in mechanical, electrical, materials or another area takes three to six classes, and you may combine the degree with an Engineering Online certificate. GRE scores are not required, and the program recommends starting with a single course.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Good when you want an established engineering college’s online catalog and a stackable certificate path.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Continuous enrollment outside summer and a six-year completion limit apply, and an on-campus section is billed at the campus rate.
Read North Carolina State University’s Master of Engineering Details →Best for a Personal Plan With Optional Concentrations
10. Purdue University
MS or MSE in Interdisciplinary Engineering
- 30 Credits
- $1,139 In-State, $1,459 Nonresident
- Meets 3 of 6 Checks
Purdue’s online interdisciplinary master’s needs 30 credits, at least 18 of them in Purdue graduate engineering courses, and up to 12 credits can come from approved non-engineering subjects or transfer work. You may record up to two concentrations, such as computational, systems or materials engineering. The posted online rates are $1,139 per credit for Indiana residents and $1,459 for nonresidents.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Fits an engineer who wants a custom blend of engineering and math or statistics courses under a well-known name.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Admission lists a 3.0 GPA plus Calculus I and II and linear algebra or differential equations, and the plan benefits from early advising.
Read Purdue University’s MS or MSE in Interdisciplinary Engineering Details →Best for Practicing Engineers Who Want Broad Coursework
11. Texas Tech University
Master of Engineering, Interdisciplinary
- 30 Semester Credits
- Fully Online Through Whitacre
- Meets 3 of 6 Checks
Texas Tech offers its non-thesis interdisciplinary MEng fully online and emphasizes coordinated advanced coursework for practicing engineers. No more than twelve of the 30 credits may fall in any one engineering discipline, up to six may be outside engineering, and a final-semester Master’s Report serves as the comprehensive exam. An engineering bachelor’s degree is preferred, with specific prerequisites listed for other backgrounds.
Who Should Consider This Program?
A match if your work spans several disciplines and you want breadth rather than a single specialty.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
The program has no assistantships, and the distance fee varies with the specific courses you take.
Read Texas Tech University’s Master of Engineering, Interdisciplinary Details →Best for a Nine-Course Asynchronous Path With a Capstone Option
12. University of California, Los Angeles
Master of Science in Engineering, Online
- 36 Quarter Units
- $4,620 Per Course
- Meets 3 of 6 Checks
UCLA’s online MS is nine courses and 36 quarter units, taken asynchronously on the quarter calendar, at $4,620 per course for 2026–27 or $41,580 for the degree. You choose an area such as mechanical, electrical, manufacturing and design or materials, then satisfy the comprehensive requirement with an advisor-supervised capstone paper or exam questions drawn from three courses.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Choose UCLA when you want a structured nine-course path and room for a faculty-supervised project.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Exams are typically proctored in person or by an approved proctor, and GRE waivers are decided case by case.
Read University of California, Los Angeles’s Master of Science in Engineering, Online Details →Best for Combining a Specialty With Systems and Management Courses
13. University of California, Riverside
Master of Science in Engineering, Online
- 36 Quarter Units
- $1,011 Per Credit
- Meets 3 of 6 Checks
UC Riverside’s online MS has no required campus residency. The 36-unit plan combines 16 credits of shared courses in global engineering, innovation strategy, systems engineering and management with 16 credits of specialization and four one-credit capstone courses. Specialties range from mechanical and electrical to data science, bioengineering and automotive and mobility systems. Published tuition for the full degree is $36,396.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Best for an engineer who wants specialty depth plus a management vocabulary for a lead role.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Courses repeat on a fixed sequence, so a break can delay your restart, and proctoring and application fees are extra.
Read University of California, Riverside’s Master of Science in Engineering, Online Details →Best for a Custom Multidisciplinary Plan on a Quarter Calendar
14. Oregon Institute of Technology
MS in Engineering, Multidisciplinary
- 45 Quarter Credits
- $722 Per Quarter Credit
- Meets 2 of 6 Checks
Oregon Tech’s multidisciplinary MSE can be completed fully online at $722 per quarter credit for 2026–27, with no out-of-state surcharge. The degree takes 45 quarter credits, or 12 to 15 courses, including systems engineering and a research methods and innovation course, with a specialization of at least 15 credits. A custom specialty needs approval from the advisor, program director and department chair.
Who Should Consider This Program?
Consider it if you want to design a specialty that crosses disciplines and prefer clear per-credit pricing.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
A $65 technology fee applies to each online course, and 45 quarter credits cannot be compared directly with a 30-semester-credit degree.
Read Oregon Institute of Technology’s MS in Engineering, Multidisciplinary Details →Best for Online Industrial Engineering Study
15. Louisiana Tech University
Master of Science in Engineering
- 30 to 36 Semester Credits
- Industrial Engineering Track Online
- Meets 1 of 6 Checks
Louisiana Tech requires you to pick a concentration, and the Industrial Engineering track is the one offered both on campus and fully online. Its coursework covers operations research, manufacturing, lean systems, statistics and quality control. The degree totals 30 to 36 credits depending on the concentration and finishing route, with thesis, practicum and coursework options described in the catalog.
Who Should Consider This Program?
A good match for engineers in manufacturing, logistics or quality roles who want an industrial engineering focus.
What Should You Check Before Applying?
Only the Industrial Engineering concentration is documented as fully online, so confirm delivery before choosing any other track.
Read Louisiana Tech University’s Master of Science in Engineering Details →What Should You Compare in an Online Engineering Master’s Program?
Start with how the courses are delivered, because that decides whether the degree fits your week. Asynchronous courses let you watch lectures when you can. Recorded campus lectures usually keep the campus calendar and exam dates. Ask for a sample first-year schedule and any proctoring rules before you apply.
Then compare the finish. Several of these degrees are coursework-only, and some end with a capstone or exam. A thesis is rarely part of the fully online route. If you may want a doctorate later, ask whether the program allows a research option.
Can You Enter an Online Engineering Master’s Without an Engineering Bachelor’s Degree?
Sometimes. Minnesota Duluth accepts engineering or other STEM bachelor’s degrees such as physics, chemistry or computer science. UConn sends applicants without an engineering degree to a program office for assessment. Texas Tech lists chemistry, calculus-based physics and calculus through differential equations for non-engineering applicants.
Arkansas is stricter and asks for an accredited engineering or computer science degree. Read each program’s admission rules before you apply, and plan any missing prerequisites separately from the graduate credits.
How Much Does an Online Engineering Master’s Cost?
Published prices range widely and are quoted in different units: per credit, per course, per quarter credit or for the whole degree. Arkansas lists $393 per credit with distance fees, while Purdue lists $1,139 for Indiana residents and UConn lists a $1,300 comprehensive fee per credit.
Compare the full degree total, then add technology fees, proctoring and application charges. Our engineering degree cost guide shows how to build a term-by-term estimate that includes those extras.
Should You Choose a General Degree or a Field-Specific Online Master’s?
A general or interdisciplinary master’s suits engineers whose work crosses fields or who want management and systems courses. If you know your specialty, a field degree can go deeper. Compare online electrical engineering master’s programs or the broader mechanical engineering master’s rankings.
You can also browse the full general engineering master’s rankings, which include campus programs, or read the general engineering degree guide first.
Questions About These Engineering Programs
How Long Does an Online Master’s in Engineering Take?
Most of these degrees require 30 to 36 credits. Minnesota Duluth suggests about two years taking one seven-week course at a time. Oregon Tech and the University of California programs use quarter credits, so compare credit counts only within the same system.
Do Online Engineering Master’s Programs Require the GRE?
Many do not. Arkansas, UConn, Minnesota Duluth, NC State, Auburn and Arizona State state that GRE scores are not required, and Case Western lists them as optional. UCLA may waive them for strong applicants, and Old Dominion waives them for holders of a U.S. ABET-accredited engineering degree.
Is a Thesis Required for an Online Engineering Master’s?
Usually not. Auburn, NC State, Arizona State, Minnesota Duluth and Texas Tech describe coursework-based degrees without a required thesis. Platteville lets you choose a thesis, a capstone project or additional coursework. Confirm the finish with the program.
Can Working Professionals Study Part Time?
Yes. UConn’s concentration is organized for part-time evening study by practicing engineers, Case Western’s MEng is designed for engineers employed in industry, and Texas Tech emphasizes coursework for practicing engineers. Ask each program how many courses you can take per term.
How Does an Online Engineering Master’s Differ From a General Engineering Master’s on Campus?
Course content is often similar, but the schedule, proctoring and available specialties can differ. Some programs offer fewer concentrations online than on campus. Our general engineering master’s rankings include both campus and online options.
Official Sources and Review Date
Program and policy sources checked October 2, 2026.
- Old Dominion Engineering Systems ME Catalog
- UConn Multidisciplinary Engineering MEng
- Minnesota Duluth Master of Engineering
- Auburn Engineering Online MEng
- Case Western Reserve Online Master of Engineering
- University of Arkansas MS in Engineering
- UW–Platteville MS in Engineering
- Arizona State Engineering MEng
- NC State Master of Engineering
- Purdue Interdisciplinary Engineering Online
- Texas Tech Interdisciplinary MEng
- UCLA Master of Science in Engineering Online
- UC Riverside Online Master of Science in Engineering
- Oregon Tech MS in Engineering
- Louisiana Tech MS in Engineering