Career opportunities for mechatronics engineers

What can you do with a mechatronics engineering degree? A better question might be “what can’t you do?”

Fact is, this increasingly popular degree choice has applications across a multitude of industries, from healthcareto aerospace. That’s because innovation across industry in general involves the convergence of electronics, computer science, control systems, and mechanical engineering – the four domains that mechatronics brings together.

While expertise in any one of these areas remains highly valuable, industry now needs personnel who are conversant with all of them – and that’s why mechatronics, until recently a little-known field of study, is taking off in a big way.

“The field is really exploding,” says Dr. Nayef Abu-Ageel, dean of academics and chair of electrical engineering at Capitol Technology University. “As a mechatronics engineer, you can work in just about any industry.”

Salaries for those going into a mechatronics engineering career reflect the widespread demand. According to Glassdoor, the median salary for a mechatronics engineer is $118,755. 

Many industries are moving towards robots and other forms of automation. In the aircraft manufacturing industry, robots are now being used for tasks that include drilling, welding, and even inspection. In the medical field, automated, sensor-equipped systems can help monitor vital signs, while medical robots can assist patients undergoing rehabilitation, and even help perform surgical tasks. In manufacturing, meanwhile, smart assembly lines improve efficiency while holding down costs.

A mechatronics engineer may be involved with these systems at many levels, from design to programming and maintenance. They may also serve the important role of acting as a liaison between specialized professionals involved in particular aspects of an automated system – for example, between a mechanical engineer and a computer programmer.

Searching a job board like Indeed.com can provide a good sense of the types of jobs available to qualified mechatronics engineers, the number of open positions, and the salary ranges. On a given day, you might find opportunities like these:

• Working with cutting-edge medical devices
• Helping to design, build and test self-driving cars
• Help develop smart robots that can perform factory tasks
• Assist with the development of a robot that can make “fresh gourmet food with high-quality ingredients from scratch”

Salaries listed start at $65K, with the majority above $80K.

Learn more about the exciting, in-demand field of mechatronics. Capitol Tech offers bachelor’s degree programs in mechatronics engineering and mechatronics and robotics engineering technology. For more information, contact admissions@captechu.edu or phone 800-952-1992.