Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan is a public academic department that delivers undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and professional engineering degree programs alongside federally and industry-sponsored research, serving ~850 undergraduates, ~500 graduate students from 24 countries, and partners such as GM, Ford, NSF, and DOE.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1868
- HeadquartersAnn Arbor, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan does
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan, founded in 1868 as the first mechanical engineering program in the United States, is a public academic department within the College of Engineering that delivers undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and professional degree programs alongside federally and industry-sponsored research. The department serves approximately 850 undergraduate students, more than 500 graduate students (including over 250 Ph.D. students) drawn from 24 countries, 72 tenured/tenure-track faculty, and an external ecosystem of federal agencies and automotive/manufacturing industry partners. It operates across 13 research areas spanning biomechanics, emerging manufacturing, energy and environment, and future transportation, anchored by the G.G. Brown Laboratory complex (renovated 2014-2016), the Walter E. Lay Automotive Laboratory, MCity, and an ultra-low vibration laboratory.
Its product portfolio is structured in three tiers: the B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering and accelerated BSE/MSE pathway (SUGS); the research-oriented MSE and fully-funded Ph.D. (stipend, tuition, fees, health and dental benefits for 4-5 years); and the professional Master of Engineering (MEng) degrees in Automotive Engineering, Global Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing, and AI+, plus a DEng in Manufacturing, delivered on-campus or online. The department's research outputs include proprietary technologies such as the Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems concept, ADAMS simulation software (commercialized via Mechanical Dynamics, Inc. in 1977), homogenization/topology optimization methods, AI for materials observation, and battery-management systems for silicon-anode EV batteries.
Revenue mechanics are diversified across tuition and fees (set annually by the U-M Board of Regents), sponsored research funding (federal agencies including NSF, DOE, NASA, DOD, NIH, plus industry partners - approximately $30M in research expenditures by 2015), private philanthropy and endowments (e.g., a $2M BorgWarner endowed chair, plus $30M in state of Michigan support for the $50M G.G. Brown renovation), and a small branded-merchandise e-commerce stream. Go-to-market for students is centrally coordinated through Rackham Graduate School and the College of Engineering Office of Recruitment and Admissions, supplemented by the "Meet Michigan: ME Graduate Discovery Series," seminar series, and design expos.
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan
- Legal name
- The Regents of the University of Michigan
- Website
- https://me.engin.umich.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1868
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan is a public academic department that delivers undergraduate, master's, doctoral, and professional engineering degree programs alongside federally and industry-sponsored research, serving ~850 undergraduates, ~500 graduate students from 24 countries, and partners such as GM, Ford, NSF, and DOE.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education - Mechanical Engineering
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Engineering Services (541330), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI), Assistive, Biomedical & Human-Centered Engineering Programs (EDAMADAL), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)
Keywords
Where Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ann Arbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Graduate and undergraduate education generates tuition revenue. PhD students receive full funding packages (stipend, tuition, fees, health/dental benefits) as part of their admission offer. Master's students are expected to secure their own financial support. Professional MEng/DEng programs charge tuition.
- Sponsored Research Funding: Federal and state government agencies (NSF, NASA, DOE, Department of Defense, NIH) and industry partners fund research activities. Research expenditures reached approximately $30 million per year by 2015. Major centers include the Automotive Research Center (TARDEC-funded), ERC/RMS, S.M. Wu Manufacturing Research Center, and ALMMII ($148M initiative).
- ME Branded Merchandise Sales: A portion of proceeds from the ME Branded Store merchandise sales is donated to the ME Impact Fund supporting student support, research, and team projects.
- Private Philanthropy and Endowments: The department raises private funds and receives endowment income. A $2M gift from Tim Manganello and the BorgWarner Foundation endowed the department chair position. Approximately $15M in private funds and $30M from the state of Michigan supported facility renovations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | PhD Full Funding Package |
| Other | Annual | Master's Students - Self-funded |
| Subscription | Annual | MEng/DEng Professional Degree Programs |
| Subscription | Annual | SUGS Credit Double-Counting and Transfer |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels9 records
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan delivers undergraduate (B.S.E.), research master's (M.S.E.), doctoral (Ph.D.), and professional master's and doctoral (M.Eng, D.Eng) degree programs in mechanical engineering and related fields. In parallel, it conducts sponsored research across 14 areas (biomechanics, controls, design, dynamics, energy, fluids, manufacturing, materials, mechatronics/robotics, micro/nano engineering, mobility, multi-scale computation, thermal sciences) for federal/state agencies and industry partners, with research expenditures of approximately $30 million per year by 2015.
Product overview
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational products spanning undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. The core offerings include the B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering (undergraduate), the MSE and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (graduate research programs), and professional Master of Engineering degrees in Automotive Engineering, Global Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering, and Manufacturing, with an associated DEng in Manufacturing. The department also delivers accelerated pathways via SUGS (five-year BSE/MSE), undergraduate research programs (RISE, SURE), senior capstone design (ME 450), and the ME Undergraduate Symposium. These programs are structured as a unified academic portfolio with the undergraduate program as the foundation, professional MEng programs under Integrative Systems + Design serving industry-focused students, and research-focused MSE/PhD programs preparing academic and research careers. The department's 14 research areas (biomechanics, controls, design, dynamics, energy, fluids, manufacturing, mechanics/materials, mechatronics/robotics, micro/nano, mobility/automotive, multi-scale computation, and thermal sciences) underpin all graduate programs and provide infrastructure for undergraduate research opportunities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ME Branded Store: Department branded merchandise store selling clothing items, hats, and bags. Proceeds support the ME Impact Fund for student support, research, and team projects.
Products and services
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) in Mechanical Engineering
- Master of Science in Engineering (M.S.E.) in Mechanical Engineering
- Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
- Master of Engineering (MEng) in Automotive Engineering
- Master of Engineering (MEng) in Global Automotive and Manufacturing Engineering
- Master of Engineering (MEng) in Manufacturing
- Master of Engineering (MEng) in Artificial Intelligence (AI+)
- Doctor of Engineering (DEng) in Manufacturing
- Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies (SUGS)
- ME Branded Merchandise
Quantifiable outcome
- Average starting salary for new graduates of approximately $70,000
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature7 records
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- American Lightweight Materials and Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII)coreA $148-million initiative under the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation, led by Alan Taub (professor of materials science and ME). Research focus is lightweighting of components used in transportation vehicles. Involves numerous ME faculty and industry partners across the automotive and aerospace supply chain.
- MCity / Mobility Transformation Center (MTC)coreMCity, launched in 2016 as an offspring of the MTC (2013), is a one-of-a-kind test site for connected and automated vehicles on U-M's North Campus Research Center. World's first connected and automated vehicle proving ground with over 3,000 connected vehicles in Ann Arbor. Directed by ME faculty Huei Peng. Partnership between U-M, U.S. and Michigan Departments of Transportation.
- Chrysler / Automotive Body ConsortiumcorePartnership with Chrysler through the '2-mm Program' (led by Sam Wu, Jun Ni, Jack Hu) funded by NIST and automotive industry. Focused on improving dimensional variations in automotive body assembly to a world-class 2-mm target. Has had major impact on U.S. automotive industry and cited by NIST as one of its most successful programs.
- U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center (Clean Vehicle Consortium)coreEstablished in 2010 under the leadership of Dennis Assanis, continuing under Huei Peng. Focuses on disruptive technologies to improve fuel efficiency in vehicles. Part of the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Naval Engineering Education Center (NEEC)minorLaunched in 2009 under the leadership of Steve Ceccio to develop and educate the next generation of naval systems engineers. A U.S. Navy-funded education and research initiative housed within ME.
- Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)minorMOU signed in February 2001 creating a formal relationship for student and faculty exchange, joint workshops, short courses, co-authored publications, and visits to industry and research establishments. Includes collaboration with ME faculty and researchers.
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU)coreStrategic partnership established in 2000 (under Jun Ni's leadership) to help reshape Chinese engineering education using the U-M ME model. A pilot class of 60 students was admitted that year as ME faculty began teaching at SJTU. This evolved into the UM-SJTU Joint Institute, one of the most successful international academic collaborations in the world.
- General Motors (GM) Satellite Research LaboratorycoreGM established a $5M satellite research laboratory at U-M in 1998 under the leadership of Panos Papalambros. The partnership grew into several collaborative research centers with GM research labs on automotive engines (Dennis Assanis), automotive assembly (Jack Hu), and smart materials (Diann Brei). GM also sponsors the GM TEP (Technical Education Program) for sponsored employees pursuing MEng degrees.
- National Science Foundation (NSF) - Engineering Research Center for Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (ERC/RMS)coreNSF-funded Engineering Research Center for Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (ERC/RMS), first NSF ERC at U-M. Led by Yoram Koren with a $32.5M grant (1996-2007). Industrial partners paid $12M in membership fees. Led to development of world's first reconfigurable machine tool in 2002. Technologies developed are used in manufacturing plants worldwide.
- U.S. Army TARDEC (Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center)coreThe Automotive Research Center (ARC) was established in 1994 under the leadership of Panos Papalambros in partnership with TARDEC. The ARC has been continuously renewed and expanded, focusing on ground vehicle reliability, autonomous systems, and automotive research. The Ground Robotics Reliability Center (GRRC) was established in 2007 with TARDEC support.
- S. M. Wu Manufacturing Research CentercoreCo-directed by Jun Ni and Jack Hu (following the death of Sam Wu in 1992), this center is named in honor of Shien-Ming 'Sam' Wu who established manufacturing as an academic discipline at U-M. Supported by industry and NIST funding. Continues Wu's legacy in statistical methods and manufacturing engineering.
- Ford Motor CompanycoreFord is a partner in the '2-mm Program' and the Automotive Research Center consortium for automotive research. Faculty research collaborations include work with David Cole (Office for the Study of Automotive Transportation) and others.
- Technical University of BerlinminorInternational partnership providing student and faculty exchange opportunities and collaborative research with one of Europe's leading engineering institutions.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Carnegie Mellon University Department of Mechanical Engineering: CMU ME is a top-ranked program with strong research in robotics, manufacturing, and design — directly overlapping with Michigan's robotics and mobility initiatives. Comparable graduate program size and research expenditure scale.
- Stanford Mechanical Engineering: Stanford's ME department is a top-ranked direct competitor for graduate students, faculty hires, and industry research partnerships, with strong programs in design, biomechanics, energy, and computational mechanics. Both compete for the same Silicon Valley and global tech talent pipelines.
- University of Texas at Austin Department of Mechanical Engineering: UT Austin ME is a top-10 US public peer with similar research scale and strength in energy, manufacturing, and aerospace. Direct competitor for Texas-based industry partnerships and STEM talent recruitment.
- ETH Zurich Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering: ETH Zurich's D-MAVT is consistently ranked top-5 globally in mechanical engineering, comparable to Michigan in research output, faculty quality, and graduate program selectivity. Represents the strongest European direct peer for global rankings and research collaboration.
- MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering: MIT's MechE department is widely regarded as the #1 ranked mechanical engineering program in the US and globally, with comparable research depth across bio, energy, manufacturing, and mobility. Directly comparable in scale, federal funding, faculty pedigree, and graduate program structure.
- Caltech Mechanical and Civil Engineering: Caltech's ME division is one of the most selective and research-intensive ME programs globally, with strengths in dynamics, materials, and aerospace. Comparable research output per faculty and consistently ranks near the top in global ME rankings alongside Michigan.
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering: UIUC MechSE is a top-5 US ME program with similar scale, research funding, and industry partnerships, particularly in fluids, thermal sciences, and manufacturing. Direct peer for student recruitment and federal research funding competition.
- Georgia Tech George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering: Georgia Tech's ME school is one of the largest in the US with comparable research funding scale, strong industry partnerships (especially aerospace and automotive in the Southeast), and a leading online master's program. Directly comparable in scale, scope, and industry-funded research model.
- UC Berkeley Department of Mechanical Engineering: Berkeley ME is a top-ranked direct competitor with comparable research depth in controls, manufacturing, MEMS, and energy. Both compete for faculty hires, federal research funding, and industry partnerships across US manufacturing and tech sectors.
- Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering: Purdue ME is a top-10 US program with comparable scale (large undergraduate and graduate programs), strong aerospace and automotive research, and a deep industry partner network. Direct peer for student recruitment, federal research dollars, and industry-sponsored consortia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan social profiles
Digital presenceMechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan
What does Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan do?
The Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan delivers undergraduate (B.S.E.), research master's (M.S.E.), doctoral (Ph.D.), and professional master's and doctoral (M.Eng, D.Eng) degree programs in mechanical engineering and related fields. In parallel, it conducts sponsored research across 14 areas (biomechanics, controls, design, dynamics, energy, fluids, manufacturing, materials, mechatronics/robotics, micro/nano engineering, mobility, multi-scale computation, thermal sciences) for federal/state agencies and industry partners, with research expenditures of approximately $30 million per year by 2015.
Is Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan a public or private company?
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan founded?
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan was founded in 1868. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan based?
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan is headquartered in Ann Arbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are sponsored Research Funding, ME Branded Merchandise Sales and private Philanthropy and Endowments.
Who are Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Carnegie Mellon University Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin Department of Mechanical Engineering, ETH Zurich Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering, Caltech Mechanical and Civil Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley Department of Mechanical Engineering and Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering.
Does Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan.
What industry is Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan in?
Mechanical Engineering Department - University of Michigan's product category is Higher Education - Mechanical Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAD, Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis, with a secondary code of EDAHAEAA, Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive). Its NAICS code is 54171 and its SIC code is 8711.