Why you should study mechanical engineering in Germany

Set your sights on Mechanical Engineering in Germany? These are the top 5 universities in Germany for Mechanical Engineering.

Marle

4 minute read

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Updated on 5 Aug 2024

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Studying

The economic and innovative power of mechanical engineers in Germany is seen as the beacon of hope when it comes to solving mammoth tasks like resource efficiency, new forms of mobility or the development of new energy sources and climate change. Mechanical engineering truly forms the backbone of the German economy. This is one of the many reasons why pursuing a Mechanical engineering degree in Germany is a good idea. Read on to find more!

It doesn't take much to imagine what your life would like after graduating as a mechanical engineer in Germany: wonderful job prospects, good entry-level salary. As a mechanical engineer, you'll hit the bull's-eye on the German career front. But don't let the future prospects blind you, the road ahead will be long.

Modules often part of a Mechanical engineering degree:

• Physics
• Mathematics, numerics and higher mathematics
• Linear algebra
• Chemistry
• Construction theory
• Strength of materials
• Materials science
• Manufacturing science

Efficient, pragmatic, reserved, focused and analytical: that's about what describes you as a mechanical engineer in Germany.

As the silent heroes of Industry 4.0, mechanical engineers are responsible for the 'Made in Germany' label. With their development, design and production of highly complex technical machines, they are figuring out the answers for resource efficiency, new forms of mobility or the development of new energy sources and climate change.

Ernst & Young has taken a close look at the backbone of the German economy:

in 2016, the turnover of the German mechanical engineering industry cracked a record high of a good 228 billion euros.

And also in an international perspective, Germany remains the largest machinery exporting country with a share of 15.4% of global machinery exports. The label 'Made in Germany' remains an indicator of quality.

There's one thing you need to bring with you to study mechanical engineering in Germany: time. As an international student, you can expect to be away from your home country for at least 10 semesters. Mechanical engineering studies in Germany are divided into 6 semesters of Bachelor's degree and 4 semesters of Master's degree.

Where can you study mechanical engineering in Germany? You'll find a wide range of choices at universities and universities of applied sciences.

You're more of a practical type? Then you can take mechanical engineering in Germany at universities of applied sciences, with close supervision and practical work. For the more theoretical student, universities are the better choice.

The direct survey of hiring personnel, conducted annually by Universum on behalf of Wirtschaftswoche, gives a somewhat more precise picture of the top universities in Germany for mechanical engineering:

After 10 semesters full of focus on complex physical relationships and higher mathematical equations, you're looking at a hefty entry-level salary.

As a mechanical engineer,

you earn an average entry-level salary of €46,391 gross per year with a Bachelor's degree

and almost €48,749 with a Master's degree. Add a doctorate or an MBA and you can easily reach the salary mark of €60,000.

Good to know: The top industry for mechanical engineers is automotive engineering. You will find the big car manufacturers in the South around Stuttgart as well as VW in Wolfsburg.

The demand for good mechanical engineers is very high, which means that the transition from education to working life is usually very quick and smooth.

In 2018, the Federal Employment Agency counted around 130,000 engineers employed on social insurance, while just 3,600 were unemployed. Due to the shortage of skilled workers in Germany and also the range of operations of engineers, it's rather easy to find a job in the professional field.

Up until 2029, the Association of German Engineers (VDI) expects that around 700,000 of their colleagues will have to be replaced due to age. That's almost 42% of the workforce! This doesn't even take into account the demand from possible new fields of business.

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