About
Clemson’s Department of Mechanical Engineering develops technical leaders equipped to advance innovation across government, industry, business and academia. Through rigorous study of mechanical and thermal systems, students and faculty address complex challenges in energy, advanced materials, transportation, health technologies, manufacturing and consumer products.
Grounded in strong engineering fundamentals and reinforced through applied research and industry collaboration, the department prepares graduates to analyze, design and optimize systems that shape modern society. The result is a community of engineers capable of delivering forward-thinking solutions that strengthen industry, expand scientific discovery and improve quality of life.
Explore Our Pathways
The Clemson difference: a community where rigorous research, industry partnership and real-world application intersect.
Academic ProgramsWhere Discovery Becomes Design
At Clemson University's Department of Mechanical Engineering, research is where curiosity meets consequence. Our faculty and students tackle challenges that shape how people live, work and explore - from advanced energy systems and next-generation manufacturing to resilient infrastructure, mobility and space technologies.
Grounded in the fundamentals and driven by discovery, our programs prepare engineers not just to understand complex systems, but to design, build and improve them in ways that matter. Here, research is hands-on and high-impact from day one. Graduate students recently partnered with the American Rental Association to study how soil conditions affect tent stake performance, developing new staking guidelines and helping validate an innovative ground-testing tool now available to the industry. Their fieldwork didn't stop at data collection; it led to meaningful design improvements, from a removable handle to more durable components, enhancing safety for events nationwide.
It's a powerful example of how Clemson engineers collaborate with industry to solve practical problems while refining products in real time.
Our Research"Looking back on it, I think it did reinforce values that I have now in my career. One is the impact on safety and the betterment of people as a whole. Now I work at Michelin as a safety engineer, and a lot of the projects I work on are aimed at improving safety or trying to improve people's lives."
James Bentley Bevis B'22, M'24Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical in the News
Career Outlook
Breadth, individuality, and flexibility are inherent characteristics of the mechanical engineering profession. In a broad sense, mechanical engineers significantly contribute to creating products and systems that benefit everyone. Mechanical Engineering is rated in the Top 5 best engineering careers among fields with a high potential for growth, good work-life balance, and high prospects for mobility, according to the US News and World Report. Students graduating from Clemson are hired nationally by Fortune 500 companies as well as agencies and companies serving local industries through manufacturing, testing, product development, design, and teaching.
- Mechanical Power Generation
- Jet Engines and Rockets
- Steam Power Plants
- Robotics
- Energy Utilization and Conservation
- Thermodynamics and Fluids
- Mechanical Design and Machine Sciences
Department Ranking
Mechanical Engineering is ranked #33 by the U.S. News & World Report for Public Departments.
Professional Development
Clemson's Center for Career and Professional Development consistently rates high nationally for career services, internships, and co-op opportunities.
Career ServicesExpenditure
Research concentrations include transportation, energy, design, materials, manufacturing, fluids, complexity, and multi-scale modeling.
Academic Endeavours | High-Impact Research
Find Your Path
Student Discovery
Students in the AI for Racecars Creative Inquiry (CI) project developed technology that could influence the next generation of autonomous off-road vehicles. Students applied the programming skills they acquired in their courses to develop software specifically for uncrewed vehicles. The project’s focus shifted to fit the interests and abilities of the participating students. In 2020, the team designed an autonomous system to strengthen current supply chain logistics for last-mile delivery. In 2019, students wrote an artificial intelligence (AI) system for model racecars to play soccer.
Mechanical Engineering Academics
We have campus locations across the state, with the ability to earn an M.S. or Ph.D. in Charleston. Our M.S. Industry track allows both domestic and international students to earn their degree and participate in a full-time internship for up to 8 months – all in less than 2 years.
Advanced Manufacturing
Reducing Costs & Environmental Impacts
Gang Li is part of a team developing new ways of 3D-printing low-cost manufacturing tools. For his part, he will use computational modeling and analysis simulation to help answer important questions, such as whether the tools researchers are trying to develop meet design requirements. The approach allows researchers to test their ideas before building a prototype, helping save time and money. The project will be based in the Clemson Composites Center’s cutting-edge facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
Faculty Excellence
Award-Winning Educators
The department comprises 32 tenured/tenure track faculty and 7 full-time and part-time lecturers who provide significant contributions to the development of knowledge and educational innovations in Mechanical Engineering. With the support of technical and administrative staff, more than 1000 students grace our halls each year.
