2027 Online Mechanical Engineering Degree Programs That Accept 60, 75, or 90 Transfer Credits
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Transferring into an online mechanical engineering degree can save time and tuition, but only if your credits fit the program's math, science, engineering, and residency rules. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reported in 2024 that transfer enrollment rose 5.3% in fall 2023, showing that more students are moving between colleges to finish degrees.
This guide is for students with substantial prior credit who want to know whether 60, 75, or 90 credits can count, how much coursework may remain, and how to compare programs before enrolling.
Key Things You Should Know
- Most bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering require about 120 to 128 credits, so transferring 60 credits may leave roughly half the degree, while 90 accepted credits may still leave 30 or more credits because schools usually require a minimum in-residence course load.
- "Accepted" transfer credits are not the same as "applied" credits; a school may accept 90 credits on your transcript but apply fewer if your prior courses do not match calculus, physics, chemistry, engineering mechanics, design, lab, or upper-division requirements.
- The best program is not automatically the one with the highest transfer cap; students should verify ABET accreditation, course equivalencies, minimum grades, age limits on technical courses, upper-division requirements, and the official remaining-credit plan before committing.
How Many Transfer Credits Can You Apply Toward an Online Mechanical Engineering Degree?
In an online mechanical engineering bachelor's program, a transfer-credit limit tells you the maximum number of outside credits a school may accept. The more important number is how many of those credits apply to the degree plan. Mechanical engineering is highly sequenced, so prior credits are most valuable when they replace required courses rather than becoming unused electives.
A typical mechanical engineering bachelor's degree includes general education, calculus, differential equations, physics, chemistry, computer-aided design, statics, dynamics, thermodynamics, fluids, materials, machine design, controls, labs, and a senior design sequence. Because many upper-division engineering courses build on earlier prerequisites, a student with 90 prior credits may still need several semesters if key prerequisites are missing.
The table below shows how 60, 75, and 90 transfer credits usually affect a 120-credit bachelor's degree. Use it as a planning framework, not as a guarantee, because each school's official evaluation controls the final answer.
| Transfer-credit scenario | Approximate credits remaining in a 120-credit degree | What it often means for mechanical engineering students | Main risk to check |
| 60 transfer credits | About 60 credits remaining | Often fits students with an associate degree, completed general education, calculus I and II, physics, chemistry, and some introductory engineering courses. | Some credits may apply only as electives if they do not match the engineering curriculum. |
| 75 transfer credits | About 45 credits remaining | Can work well for students who completed lower-division engineering prerequisites and some sophomore-level major courses. | The student may still need prerequisite chains that cannot be compressed into one term. |
| 90 transfer credits | About 30 credits remaining | Usually possible only when the school's residency requirement is low enough and the student's prior courses align closely with the major. | Upper-division mechanical engineering, lab, design, and residency requirements may prevent all 90 credits from shortening the program. |
A practical way to read transfer policies is to separate three numbers: the maximum credits the institution accepts, the maximum credits the mechanical engineering department applies, and the minimum credits you must complete at the university. The third number is the residency requirement, and it often determines whether a 90-credit transfer plan is realistic.
Which Online Mechanical Engineering Degree Programs Accept 60, 75, or 90 Transfer Credits?
Fully online bachelor's programs in mechanical engineering are less common than online business, IT, or healthcare degrees because engineering requires labs, design work, and strict prerequisite sequencing. Still, several U.S. universities offer online or distance mechanical engineering pathways, and some closely related mechanical engineering technology programs are built specifically for transfer students.
The table below highlights program types students commonly compare when looking for 60-, 75-, or 90-credit transfer options. Always confirm the current catalog, accreditation status, lab format, and official transfer evaluation before enrolling.
| Program or pathway type | Examples students commonly review | Transfer-credit relevance | Best fit | Important caution |
| Online Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering | University of North Dakota online BS in Mechanical Engineering | May support substantial transfer credit, but students must satisfy university residency and mechanical engineering major requirements. | Students seeking an engineering degree with a traditional mechanical engineering curriculum. | Even if many credits are accepted, upper-division engineering and lab/design courses may still need to be completed through the university. |
| Distance Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering | University of Alabama distance BS in Mechanical Engineering | Can be transfer-friendly for students with completed calculus, physics, chemistry, and general education coursework. | Students who want a mechanical engineering degree and can follow a structured course sequence. | Course availability, proctored work, labs, and department equivalencies can affect the actual graduation timeline. |
| Online Bachelor of Science in Engineering with mechanical focus | Arizona State University online engineering options with mechanical engineering coursework | Often useful for students transferring community college credits, especially lower-division math and science. | Students who want a large online university ecosystem and a structured transfer pathway. | Community college transfer caps and upper-division requirements can limit how close a student gets to a 90-credit transfer plan. |
| Online mechanical engineering technology degree-completion program | Old Dominion University or Indiana State University mechanical engineering technology pathways | Often designed for students with technical, applied science, or associate-degree backgrounds and may allow high transfer totals. | Students aiming for applied engineering technology, manufacturing, design, maintenance, or technical operations roles. | Mechanical engineering technology is not always equivalent to a mechanical engineering degree for PE licensure, graduate engineering admission, or some engineering jobs. |
If your top priority is transferring the highest number of credits, ask whether the program is a true mechanical engineering degree or a mechanical engineering technology degree. Both can be valuable, but they serve different career and licensure pathways. Students comparing affordability across online bachelor's options may also want to review broader cost-focused resources such as the cheapest online college programs, while remembering that engineering accreditation and lab requirements make mechanical engineering more restrictive than many other majors.
A simple comparison can help you decide which transfer-credit level is realistic before you spend money on applications or transcripts.
- Look at 60-credit options if you have an associate degree, strong grades in math and science, and want the safest transfer scenario.
- Look at 75-credit options if you completed sophomore-level engineering courses and can document course descriptions, syllabi, and lab components.
- Look at 90-credit options only if the school's residency requirement permits it and your previous courses map closely to the final degree audit.
How Can You Tell Whether Transfer Credits Will Actually Apply Toward Your Mechanical Engineering Degree?
The key question is not "Will the school accept my credits?" It is "Which exact degree requirements will my credits replace?" A credit that transfers as free elective credit may increase your total accepted-credit count without reducing the number of engineering courses you still need.
For mechanical engineering, the most valuable transfer credits usually replace courses in the required degree sequence. These include calculus, differential equations, physics with calculus, chemistry, programming, statics, dynamics, materials, circuits, thermodynamics, and engineering graphics. General education credits can also help, but they rarely determine whether you can enter upper-division mechanical engineering courses on schedule.
Use the following process to distinguish accepted credits from applied credits before you enroll. This sequence helps you avoid discovering after admission that you still have several semesters of prerequisites left.
- Request the official mechanical engineering degree plan, not just the general university transfer policy.
- Send transcripts from every college you attended, including withdrawn institutions, dual-enrollment colleges, and military or technical schools if applicable.
- Ask for a course-by-course transfer evaluation showing the specific requirement each course satisfies.
- Compare the evaluation against the mechanical engineering curriculum map and prerequisite chart.
- Ask which accepted credits apply as general education, major requirements, technical electives, free electives, or unused excess credits.
- Request a remaining-course plan by term so you can see whether prerequisite chains extend your completion time.
- Do not enroll until you receive written confirmation of the credits that apply to the degree, especially if your decision depends on transferring 75 or 90 credits.
A strong transfer evaluation should show more than a total number. It should tell you, for example, whether your physics course satisfies calculus-based physics for engineers, whether your CAD course counts as engineering graphics, and whether your thermodynamics course is equivalent to the program's required version.
Online mechanical engineering programs commonly review credits from regionally accredited colleges, community colleges, four-year universities, military training, standardized exams, and sometimes evaluated workplace learning. However, engineering departments tend to be stricter than general admissions offices because course content, lab hours, prerequisites, and accreditation expectations matter.
The table below summarizes common transfer-credit sources and how they usually fit into a mechanical engineering degree. It can help you estimate which credits are likely to reduce your remaining workload.
| Credit source | Most likely use in the degree | What the school usually checks | Transfer value for 60-, 75-, or 90-credit students |
| Community college coursework | General education, calculus, chemistry, physics, programming, and introductory engineering courses | Accreditation, minimum grade, course equivalency, lab content, and whether the course is lower-division | Strong for 60-credit transfers; may be limited for 75- or 90-credit plans if upper-division courses are still required. |
| Four-year university coursework | Lower- and upper-division engineering, math, science, and electives | Course level, syllabus match, grades, prerequisites, and department approval | Often the best source for higher transfer totals if courses align with the mechanical engineering major. |
| Associate of Science or pre-engineering degree | Lower-division degree foundation | Whether the associate curriculum includes engineering-calculus physics and required math sequence | Useful for students entering with about 60 credits, especially from schools with articulation agreements. |
| Applied technical or AAS coursework | Technical electives or engineering technology credits | Academic level, theory content, lab hours, and whether the program accepts applied credits | Can be valuable in mechanical engineering technology programs but may apply less directly to a traditional mechanical engineering degree. |
| Exam credit such as AP, IB, CLEP, or DSST | General education, calculus, chemistry, physics, or elective credit depending on score and policy | Exam score, subject area, duplicate credit rules, and departmental restrictions | Helpful for reducing general education or lower-division requirements, but rarely replaces advanced engineering courses. |
Students coming from another field should pay special attention to the difference between elective credit and major credit. For example, a student researching a transfer-friendly bachelor in human services may find that applied credits transfer broadly, while mechanical engineering usually requires closer course-by-course matching because the curriculum is sequential and technical.
Minimum grade rules vary, but many engineering departments expect at least a C in transferred major, math, and science courses. Some may require higher grades for prerequisite courses or may not accept pass/fail grades for core engineering requirements.
Residency requirements determine how many credits you must complete at the degree-granting university. Upper-division requirements determine how many advanced courses must be completed at the junior or senior level. Together, these rules can prevent a student from finishing with only a handful of remaining classes even when the university accepts many transfer credits.
For example, a university with a 30-credit residency requirement may theoretically allow up to 90 transfer credits in a 120-credit degree. But if the mechanical engineering department requires the senior design sequence, advanced labs, machine design, controls, and several technical electives to be completed in residence, your remaining schedule may be more than 30 credits or may take longer than one academic year.
The table below shows why the highest transfer-credit allowance is not always the fastest route to graduation.
| Policy | What it means | Why it matters for mechanical engineering | Question to ask |
| Minimum residency credits | Credits you must complete at the university awarding the degree | Sets a floor for how many credits remain, even if your transcript contains more transferable coursework. | What is the exact residency requirement for online mechanical engineering transfer students? |
| Upper-division credit requirement | Junior- and senior-level credits required for graduation | Many community college credits are lower-division and cannot replace advanced engineering requirements. | How many upper-division mechanical engineering credits must be completed through your university? |
| Major-in-residence rule | Major courses that must be taken at the institution | Can require students to retake or complete key engineering courses even after transferring many credits. | Which mechanical engineering courses are never accepted in transfer? |
| Senior design requirement | Capstone design sequence completed near the end of the program | Usually must be taken through the degree-granting institution and may span two terms. | Can senior design be completed fully online, and when is it offered? |
This is also why transfer-friendly language should be read carefully. A school may be generous at the university level but more restrictive inside an engineering major. The same principle appears in other online degree markets, including doctoral programs such as the cheapest online EdD options, where residency, dissertation, and institutional-credit rules can matter as much as tuition.
The transfer evaluation process is the formal review that determines how your previous credits fit the new degree. For mechanical engineering students, this usually involves both the registrar and the engineering department because technical equivalencies often require faculty or departmental approval.
You can make the process faster and more accurate by preparing documentation before you apply. Schools may review transcripts first, but syllabi are often needed for engineering, physics, chemistry, and lab-based courses.
- Collect official transcripts from every institution where you earned college credit.
- Download course descriptions from the catalog year in which you took each technical course.
- Save syllabi for calculus, differential equations, physics, chemistry, engineering mechanics, thermodynamics, fluids, materials, circuits, CAD, and programming courses.
- Ask whether the school offers an unofficial pre-transfer review before admission or only an official evaluation after admission.
- Confirm whether engineering faculty must approve major courses separately from the registrar's evaluation.
- Request a written degree audit showing completed requirements, remaining requirements, prerequisites, and unused credits.
- Use the degree audit to estimate total tuition, course sequencing, lab requirements, and realistic completion time.
The most common red flag is an admissions conversation that focuses only on a maximum transfer number. A transfer-friendly advisor should be able to explain how your credits apply to the mechanical engineering curriculum and what evidence is needed to approve technical courses.
Another red flag is being asked to enroll before seeing how your credits apply. Some universities cannot provide a final evaluation until after admission, but you can still ask for written estimates, articulation guides, prior equivalency tables, and a list of courses that require faculty review.
Completion time depends on remaining credits, course availability, prerequisite chains, lab scheduling, and whether you study full time or part time. A student with 90 accepted credits may still need two years if remaining courses must be taken in sequence, while a student with 60 well-matched credits may move efficiently if prerequisites are complete.
The table below gives a planning estimate for a 120-credit degree. It assumes credits apply to degree requirements and does not account for missing prerequisites, repeated courses, financial holds, or limited course offerings.
| Applied transfer credits | Approximate credits remaining | Possible full-time timeline | Possible part-time timeline | Planning note |
| 60 credits | About 60 credits | About 2 years if prerequisites are complete and courses are offered regularly | About 3 to 4 years depending on course load | Best for students entering with a strong lower-division foundation. |
| 75 credits | About 45 credits | About 1.5 to 2 years | About 2.5 to 3 years | Often depends on whether junior-level mechanical engineering courses are immediately available. |
| 90 credits | About 30 credits | About 1 to 1.5 years | About 2 years | Only realistic if remaining courses are not locked behind long prerequisite chains. |
The career payoff can be meaningful, but it should be evaluated realistically. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 2024 median pay of $102,320 for mechanical engineers and projected 9% employment growth from 2024 to 2034. That does not mean every graduate will reach that salary, but it shows why reducing time-to-degree can matter for students trying to enter or advance in engineering roles sooner.
Some students also plan long-term leadership or management pathways after gaining engineering experience. If that is part of your career plan, comparing technical degree completion now with later graduate options such as the best organizational leadership master's programs online can help you avoid overpaying at the bachelor's stage.
Transfer credits can reduce cost by lowering the number of credits you pay for at the new university. The savings are largest when credits apply directly to required courses. If credits transfer only as unused electives, they may not reduce tuition or time in a meaningful way.
College Board's 2024 Trends in College Pricing data lists average published tuition and fees for 2024-25 at $11,610 for in-state public four-year students, $30,780 for out-of-state public four-year students, and $43,350 for private nonprofit four-year students. For transfer students, this means the institution you choose after transferring can matter as much as the number of credits you bring.
The table below uses a simple tuition-only example to show why applied transfer credits can change the economics of a degree. It assumes a receiving program charges $500 per credit and does not include fees, books, equipment, proctoring, travel for labs, or tuition increases.
| Applied transfer credits | Credits avoided at receiving school | Illustrative tuition avoided at $500 per credit | Remaining tuition for a 120-credit degree at $500 per credit |
| 60 credits | 60 credits | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| 75 credits | 75 credits | $37,500 | $22,500 |
| 90 credits | 90 credits | $45,000 | $15,000 |
This example shows why students should ask for the cost of remaining requirements, not just the total tuition rate. A lower per-credit price may still cost more if fewer credits apply, while a higher per-credit program may be cheaper overall if it accepts and applies more of your completed coursework.
Before choosing a school, compare the total remaining cost with the degree's accreditation, lab requirements, course availability, and transfer fit. Broader affordability guides such as the cheapest online college lists can be useful starting points, but engineering students should always add accreditation and curriculum-match checks.
Watch for these cost-related mistakes before enrolling.
- Assuming 90 accepted credits automatically removes 90 credits of tuition from the degree.
- Comparing schools by per-credit tuition without checking how many credits will remain.
- Ignoring engineering fees, lab kits, software, proctoring fees, textbook costs, or travel for required in-person components.
- Using financial aid estimates before confirming whether you will study full time or part time.
- Choosing the cheapest option without verifying ABET accreditation if your career goals require an engineering-accredited degree.
Some online programs award credit for prior learning, military training, standardized exams, or professional certifications. In mechanical engineering, these credits are most likely to satisfy general education, electives, technical electives, or introductory requirements. They are less likely to replace upper-division engineering theory, lab, or design courses.
Prior learning can still be useful if it reduces non-major requirements and frees your schedule for engineering courses. The best approach is to ask exactly where the credit will apply on the degree audit.
- Military credit may be evaluated through Joint Services Transcript recommendations, but the engineering department decides whether technical training fits the curriculum.
- AP or IB credit may satisfy calculus, chemistry, physics, or general education requirements if scores meet the school's policy.
- CLEP or DSST exams may reduce general education credits, but many engineering programs limit their use for major prerequisites.
- Professional certifications in CAD, manufacturing, machining, HVAC, or quality control may count as electives in some programs, especially mechanical engineering technology pathways.
- Portfolio-based prior learning is possible at some universities, but students should not assume it will replace ABET-sensitive engineering courses.
Current engineering work is also changing because of AI-enabled design tools, simulation, automation, robotics, and data-driven manufacturing. Prior learning in these areas may strengthen your application or help with electives, but it usually does not replace required mechanical engineering fundamentals. Students who later want to combine engineering with machine learning or automation may eventually explore graduate options such as the cheapest online masters in artificial intelligence, but the bachelor's transfer plan should first protect core engineering requirements.
Do Older College Credits Expire When Transferring Into an Online Mechanical Engineering Degree?
Older credits do not always expire, but they may be treated differently depending on the subject. General education courses such as English composition, history, humanities, or social science are often more durable. Technical courses in engineering, computing, design software, and some sciences may receive closer review if they are many years old.
Mechanical engineering departments may question older credits when course content has changed, software tools are outdated, lab methods differ, or the course is a prerequisite for advanced work. This does not always mean the credit is rejected. It may mean you need to provide a syllabus, take a placement exam, repeat a prerequisite, or start at a lower point in the sequence.
Use these steps if you have credits that are more than a few years old.
- Ask whether the university has a formal age limit for math, science, engineering, programming, or technical courses.
- Request separate answers from admissions and the mechanical engineering department because general transfer acceptance and major applicability may differ.
- Provide old syllabi, lab descriptions, textbooks, and catalog descriptions if available.
- Ask whether a placement test, challenge exam, or refresher course can preserve your progress.
- Confirm whether repeating an old prerequisite would delay upper-division courses by one term or a full year.
Older credits are not automatically a dealbreaker, but they make official evaluation more important. The safest strategy is to get written confirmation before assuming that old calculus, physics, programming, or engineering mechanics credits will support a 75- or 90-credit transfer plan.
Other Things You Should Know About Mechanical Engineering
Sometimes, but the credits may not apply cleanly. Mechanical engineering technology courses are often more applied, while mechanical engineering courses usually require more calculus-based theory. Ask for a course-by-course review before assuming the transfer will shorten a mechanical engineering degree.
Many universities do not label the diploma as online, but policies vary. Ask the school how the degree, transcript, and diploma are worded, especially if employer perception matters in your field.
It can help if the associate degree is in pre-engineering or includes calculus, calculus-based physics, chemistry, and general education. However, staying too long at a community college can backfire if you take courses that will not apply to the engineering major.
It may, especially if the program has ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission accreditation, but licensure rules vary by state. If becoming a licensed professional engineer is a goal, confirm the program's accreditation and check your state engineering board before enrolling.
- 2025 Best Online Engineering Degrees https://www.onlineu.com/degrees/engineering
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Mechanical Engineers,at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/mechanical-engineers.htm
