Best Online Master’s in Engineering Management

Best Online Master’s in Engineering Management

By James Barham and Dr. Winston Ewert

Published: Jun 22, 2021
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find top-ranked online master’s in engineering management degree programs to prepare students for leadership positions in a variety of environments, including manufacturing organizations, government agencies, and healthcare facilities.

Key Takeaways

Engineering managers use their analytical and organizational skills to lead teams in various complex tasks.
Online master of engineering management students generally oversee other workers, rather than directly working in engineering, in small- to large-scale companies in the industry, government, and other services.
Engineers who complete an online engineering management program are more likely to transition from individual contributors to managers and leaders.

Top 10 Online Master's in Engineering Management Degree Programs

Cornell University

81%

University of Texas at Austin

73%

University of Southern California

72%

University of Arizona

66%

Syracuse University

65%

University of Massachusetts Amherst

60%

University of Arkansas

54%

University of Louisville

54%

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

52%

Texas Tech University

50%

Old Dominion University

96%

University of Memphis

95%

Oakland University

92%

California State University, Northridge

88%

Lamar University

88%

University of Arizona

87%

Kettering University

86%

University of Massachusetts Lowell

85%

Missouri University of Science and Technology

85%

University of Arkansas

83%

University of Central Florida

31 to 1

California State University, Northridge

28 to 1

Florida International University

25 to 1

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

20 to 1

Texas Tech University

19 to 1

Oakland University

19 to 1

University of Louisville

19 to 1

University of Alabama in Huntsville

19 to 1

Missouri University of Science and Technology

19 to 1

University of Arkansas

19 to 1

University of Southern California

$61,503

Cornell University

$61,015

Syracuse University

$57,591

Kettering University

$44,380

Lawrence Technological University

$37,680

University of Massachusetts Amherst

$15,791

Oakland University

$15,135

University of Massachusetts Lowell

$15,078

New Jersey Institute of Technology

$14,790

University of Louisville

$12,174

University of Southern California

$60,446

Syracuse University

$41,616

Cornell University

$29,500

New Jersey Institute of Technology

$21,342

Oakland University

$19,323

Lawrence Technological University

$17,836

Kettering University

$15,128

University of Massachusetts Lowell

$14,590

University of Massachusetts Amherst

$14,014

University of Louisville

$13,524

Lawrence Technological University

26%

Kettering University

30%

Lamar University

35%

University of Massachusetts Lowell

37%

Oakland University

38%

Missouri University of Science and Technology

40%

New Jersey Institute of Technology

40%

University of Alabama in Huntsville

41%

Old Dominion University

42%

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

42%

Cornell University

9%

University of Southern California

13%

University of Texas at Austin

29%

University of Central Florida

36%

Syracuse University

59%

Florida International University

64%

University of Massachusetts Amherst

66%

Texas Tech University

68%

New Jersey Institute of Technology

69%

University of Alabama in Huntsville

74%

University of Southern California

9 to 1

Cornell University

9 to 1

Lawrence Technological University

11 to 1

Kettering University

13 to 1

New Jersey Institute of Technology

15 to 1

Syracuse University

15 to 1

University of Arizona

15 to 1

University of Idaho

16 to 1

University of Memphis

16 to 1

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

16 to 1

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

$3,812

University of Central Florida

$4,478

Florida International University

$4,721

California State University, Northridge

$5,742

University of Idaho

$6,182

Lamar University

$6,228

Old Dominion University

$7,029

University of Arkansas

$7,666

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

$7,770

University of Memphis

$8,352

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

$4,337

University of Nebraska–Lincoln

$6,138

Lamar University

$6,471

University of Central Florida

$6,916

Texas Tech University

$6,956

California State University, Northridge

$7,176

University of Idaho

$7,754

University of Arkansas

$7,875

Florida International University

$8,912

University of Memphis

$9,378

Featured Programs

If you’re torn between business and engineering, the good news is you can have an occupation combining these two sectors. You can become an engineering manager if you want to work on the management side of engineering!

Engineering managers translate business needs and goals into engineering strategies and projects, bridging the gap between the business and technical sides. To keep teams motivated, focused, and efficient, they direct them.

Overseeing engineering projects and teams is an engineering manager’s operational responsibility. With an engineering management master’s program, they hold engineering project management positions at every project stage to help strategize, design, and lead technology projects, ensuring it is completed on time, efficiently, and correctly.

Engineers, business owners, or architectural and civil engineering managers looking to upskill or upgrade their credentials can complete their online master’s in engineering management programs is a sound decision. An engineering management degree can open doors to both business and engineering careers. Students learn best business practices and engineering science by studying product development, manufacturing construction, and industrial engineering.

An engineering and technology management online master’s degree provides one with various transferable skills. The ability to judge issues, plan effectively, and adapt to changes are crucial. This online master’s program allows students to stay current in business trends, organizational strategies, supply chain management principles, workforce dynamics, and emerging technologies and related technical skills.

Must-Have Skills for Engineering Managers

The business and engineering skills you need to be a successful engineering manager are listed below. While you might already have such skills, expect to brush them up even more when you enroll in an online master’s in engineering management :

Communication Skills

Engineering company managers must communicate effectively with their teams, clients, executives, prospects, and industry members. While you might have good oral and writing skills acquired from a bachelor’s or real-life work, there are more opportunities to brush up these skills through advanced research and projects in an online master’s in engineering management.

Engineering And Business Knowledge

The majority of top engineering managers have engineering backgrounds, as well as a higher qualification in engineering management. Fortunately, an online master’s program in this field will enhance your engineering and business knowledge even more. You must remain familiar with engineering processes and software technologies. As you manage projects, you need to suggest and guide your team on the best solution for each situation and review and understand the work you manage.

Leadership Skill

A successful engineering manager must be able to lead their team to success. For a project to succeed, managers should have an idea of what the result should be. The ability to inspire, empower, and trust people to do their jobs is enhanced when managers have a strong purpose that motivates and inspires their teams.

Project Management Skill

Engineering managers need to be able to manage a project from start to finish and supervise the engineering team’s work. Having great project management skills means you must be able to allocate and budget resources, coordinate communication across multiple departments, and meet important deadlines.

Decision-Making Skills

In contrast to engineering roles, where clear, concrete solutions are often provided, managerial positions often require judgment calls. As an engineering manager, you’ll face circumstances where you need to decide the best solutions and ways. Team leaders need to learn how to evaluate situations that do not have clear right and wrong answers.

Types Of Engineering Managers

Getting an online master’s in engineering management is a great qualification to allow you to land a job in the field of engineering management that you want. Here are some of the types of engineering management to explore:

Bioengineering Managers

In the interface of medicine and engineering, bioengineers lead teams, projects, and innovations. Among their responsibilities are designing medical and diagnostic devices, developing biocompatible materials, and advancing biomedical engineering, ecological engineering, and orthopedics.

Computer and Electrical Engineering Managers

As an electrical or computer engineering manager, you review and approve new designs, testing, or installation procedures. Aside from ensuring engineering projects are properly staffed, you should also ensure milestones are met. Engineers with these specializations are also in demand in the semiconductor manufacturing industry.

Software Engineering Manager

Leaders in software engineering manage teams, projects, and innovations that develop cloud-based, platform-based, and increasingly machine-learning-integrated software systems and programs.

Mechanical Engineering Manager

In areas like automotive, robotics, and electronics, mechanical engineers lead teams, projects, and innovations within mechanical systems.

Chemical Engineering Manager

An engineer-in-charge of chemical engineering oversees the design and engineering of chemical engineering projects, such as chemical plants or chemical transportation. On a project, they coordinate communication and coordination between different types of engineers. Furthermore, they oversee project schedules, budgets, and stakeholder communications.

Frequently Asked Questions About Engineering Management Degrees

Earning a master’s degree in engineering management can help working professionals strengthen their leadership skills and prepare for managerial positions in the workforce.

Offered both online and in person, this roughly 30-credit degree can be completed in about two years.

While some programs may offer additional concentrations, most of the coursework for this degree is centered around leadership principles, problem-solving, project management, and decision making, especially in areas like finance and organizational governance. Students may also learn about topics like marketing, engineering contract management, and ethics in the workplace.

Upon graduation, and depending on previous work experience, individuals will be prepared for leadership positions in a variety of environments, including manufacturing organizations, government agencies, and healthcare facilities.

Learn more about what you can do with a master’s degree in engineering.

Best Online Master's in Engineering Management Degree Programs

How do we determine the best online engineering management master's degree programs?

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Best Online Master’s in Engineering Management Degree Programs

Online Degree Frequently Asked Questions

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

No. The only part of online education that’s easier is actually getting there. Taking the commute out of the equation means getting to class should be a lot more manageable. But that’s where it ends. In general, your online courses will incorporate the very same materials, concepts, and testing methods as would a traditional classroom.

And in many cases, you’ll even have the same instructors as your on-campus counterparts. In fact, if you are adjusting to the experience of independent learning or working with remote learning technology for the first time, online college may even be a little more challenging for you. For a few insights on how to manage this new experience, check out our 10 Tips for Adjusting to School Online.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.