Mechatronics Engineers
Also called Automation Engineer, Equipment Engineer, Process Controls Engineer, or Project Engineer
Updated · Source: O*NET 31.0
What Mechatronics Engineers do
You design machines that move, sense, and decide on their own, blending mechanical parts, electronics, and control software into one working system.
Mechatronics engineers design and test automated machines. "Mechatronics" just means mixing mechanical parts (gears, arms, conveyors) with electronics and software so equipment can run itself. You might design a machine that moves parts down a factory line, or a precision device that positions something to within a hair's width. You pick the sensors that let a machine know where it is and how hard it is pressing, and the controls that tell it what to do next.
The work splits between thinking and checking. You draw up design documents, choose materials, and keep careful project files. Then you build or test what you designed and find out where it fails. People also call this job automation engineer, equipment engineer, process controls engineer, or project engineer.
A day in the life
You spend the day indoors, mostly in a climate-controlled office, sitting at a computer. You get stretches of focused desk work, but much of the job happens with a team. You open email, read through a customer's requirements, and update a drawing for a part that did not fit the way you expected. Then you meet face-to-face with other engineers to talk through a control problem, or with contractors to check their work matches the plan. You walk out to where the equipment sits, usually still inside the factory or lab, watch a test run, note what the sensors report, and adjust. Back at your desk, you log the changes in the project file. Some days you explain the system to the people who will run it.
This could fit you if you…
- ✓Like building and fixing real machines, not just reading about them
- ✓Enjoy digging into a problem that has no obvious answer
- ✓Keep careful notes and records without being reminded
- ✓Are comfortable writing and reading detailed technical documents
- ✓Want work that mixes mechanical parts, electronics, and software
You might not like it if you…
- –Want to be on your feet and outdoors most of the day
- –Dislike long stretches of desk work, email, and paperwork
- –Get frustrated when a design fails testing and has to be reworked
- –Would rather avoid four years of math-heavy college study
How people get in
- 1Take as much math, physics, and shop or robotics class as your school offers, and build things on your own time.
- 2Earn a bachelor's degree, which is the typical way in. Common programs include mechatronics, robotics, and automation engineering, electrical and computer engineering, systems engineering, or general engineering.
- 3Join a robotics or design team in school so you get practice taking a machine from drawing to working part.
- 4Look for an internship or a co-op (a paid work term that is part of some college programs) at a manufacturer or automation company, where you usually work alongside experienced engineers.
- 5Get comfortable with design software, sensors, and control devices, and keep examples of projects you finished.
- 6Apply to entry-level engineering roles, which may be posted as automation engineer, equipment engineer, or process controls engineer.
Who tends to enjoy it
Hands-on
People who like building, fixing, working with tools, machines, plants, or animals.
Curious
People who like figuring things out, research, science, and solving problems.
Organizing
People who like keeping things accurate, orderly, and running on schedule.
Official task list
Mechatronics Engineers research, design, develop, or test automation, intelligent systems, smart devices, or industrial systems control. (O*NET)
- Create mechanical design documents for parts, assemblies, or finished products.
- Design advanced precision equipment for accurate or controlled applications.
- Design engineering systems for the automation of industrial tasks.
- Implement or test design solutions.
- Maintain technical project files.
- Identify materials appropriate for mechatronic system designs.
- Research, select, or apply sensors, communication technologies, or control devices for motion control, position sensing, pressure sensing, or electronic communication.
- Apply mechatronic or automated solutions to the transfer of materials, components, or finished goods.
A typical day involves
Skills that matter most
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
What you'll need to know
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Production and Processing
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
How much Mechatronics Engineers make
The median pay for Mechatronics Engineers in the U.S. is $122,930 a year ($59.10 an hour). Most earn between $66,810 and $189,950. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025)
Pay depends a lot on where you live: the median is highest in New Mexico ($162,070) and lowest in Kansas ($76,100).
Pay by state and territory
| State | Median pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $152,550 | 3,460 |
| Alaska | $142,390 | 200 |
| Arizona | $102,280 | 1,720 |
| Arkansas | $76,940 | 820 |
| California | $130,850 | 28,610 |
| Colorado | $132,590 | 2,540 |
| Connecticut | $124,110 | 2,430 |
| Delaware | $103,580 | — |
| District of Columbia | $151,920 | 3,560 |
| Florida | $105,410 | 8,600 |
| Georgia | $112,260 | 4,120 |
| Guam | $100,010 | 80 |
| Hawaii | $122,800 | 1,100 |
| Idaho | $130,970 | 560 |
| Illinois | $111,930 | 2,520 |
| Indiana | $120,880 | 1,540 |
| Iowa | $103,090 | 1,100 |
| Kansas | $76,100 | 780 |
| Kentucky | $99,830 | 500 |
| Louisiana | $99,070 | 6,310 |
| Maine | $120,430 | 590 |
| Maryland | $129,770 | 7,340 |
| Massachusetts | $131,260 | 2,850 |
| Michigan | $121,000 | 7,700 |
| Minnesota | $108,850 | 1,290 |
| Mississippi | $111,030 | 480 |
| Missouri | $102,980 | 1,850 |
| Montana | $97,470 | 240 |
| Nebraska | $88,490 | 300 |
| Nevada | $103,780 | 870 |
| New Hampshire | $128,130 | 610 |
| New Jersey | $132,450 | 4,540 |
| New Mexico | $162,070 | 2,190 |
| New York | $117,600 | 5,760 |
| North Carolina | $112,450 | 4,270 |
| North Dakota | $100,250 | 220 |
| Ohio | $120,470 | 7,000 |
| Oklahoma | $119,810 | 860 |
| Oregon | $123,220 | 2,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $108,950 | 3,250 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,370 | 890 |
| Rhode Island | $117,080 | 380 |
| South Carolina | $110,490 | 1,280 |
| South Dakota | $112,260 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $96,640 | 4,400 |
| Texas | $115,810 | 10,820 |
| Utah | $110,320 | 1,750 |
| Vermont | $126,550 | 390 |
| Virginia | $148,160 | 5,060 |
| Washington | $134,570 | 3,580 |
| West Virginia | $118,800 | 660 |
| Wisconsin | $110,360 | 690 |
| Wyoming | $113,050 | 110 |
Where to study for this
College programs that commonly lead to this career, and how many US colleges offer each.
- Engineering 544 colleges
- Systems Engineering 119 colleges
- Engineering, Other 149 colleges
- Electrical and Computer Engineering 45 colleges
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering 110 colleges
- Construction Engineering 56 colleges
- Engineering Science 100 colleges
- Architectural Engineering 30 colleges
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Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), occupation 17-2199.05, used under CC BY 4.0 and modified by Whittle. Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC 17-2199. Outlook and entry education: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Program links: NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. How we build these pages.