Engineering Trade Schools & Technology Programs
Want to work with technology, solve practical problems, or help build the systems people depend on? You may not need to start with a traditional four-year engineering degree. But the credential you choose can change the jobs you qualify for and the options you have later.
Can you go to trade school for engineering? Yes, for many engineering-related technical careers. Career colleges, technical schools, and community colleges offer training for work such as electronics testing, mechanical systems, industrial automation, drafting, and engineering technician support. Becoming a licensed professional engineer is a different goal, typically requiring an engineering bachelor's degree, qualifying experience, examinations, and approval by a state licensing board.
The best starting point is the work you want to do, not a program title that happens to include the word engineering.
Which training path sounds most like you?
I want hands-on technical work
Testing components, troubleshooting equipment, supporting manufacturing, or using CAD and industrial controls.
Look at: Technical certificates and engineering technology associate degrees.
Compare these credentialsI want advanced applied technology work
Integrating, improving, supervising, or testing complex industrial and technical systems.
Look at: Engineering technology associate or bachelor's programs, depending on the job.
Compare these credentialsI want to pursue engineering design or PE licensure
Design analysis, engineering science, certain regulated responsibilities, or graduate engineering study.
Look at: An EAC-accredited engineering bachelor's program, or a carefully planned transfer route into one.
Understand the licensure differenceExplore the engineering-related schools and programs listed below. Before requesting information, check the exact credential and specialty at each campus or online location. Not every program shown leads to the same occupation, accreditation status, or license eligibility.
Engineering Schools
Sponsored Listings
ECPI University
- Atlanta
- Charlotte
- Greensboro
- Raleigh
- Charleston
- Columbia
- Greenville
- San Antonio
- Manassas (Northern VA)
- Newport News
- Richmond
- Virginia Beach
- Online
- Electronic Systems Engineering Technology
- Electronic Systems Mechatronics
- Electronics Engineering Technology
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Mechatronics
Keiser University
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Melbourne, Florida
- New Port Richey, Florida
- Pembroke Pines, Florida
- Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Tampa, Florida
- Applied Construction Management
- Applied Engineering
- Cloud Engineering
- Software Engineering
Five education routes that sound similar but lead to different opportunities
The biggest mistake in this field is choosing by the word engineering alone. A six-month technician certificate, an applied associate degree, and a bachelor's degree in engineering are not interchangeable. The right option depends on your target job, the curriculum, and whether you might need to transfer credits or pursue professional licensure later.
| Training route | Typical timeframe | Good fit if you want to... | Check before enrolling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical certificate or diploma | Often months to roughly a year; varies widely | Learn a focused skill such as equipment testing, drafting, industrial controls, or maintenance support. | Exact credential, hands-on practice, employer relevance, and whether credits count toward a later degree. ABET does not accredit standalone training certificates. |
| Engineering technology associate degree (AAS or similar) | Often about two years full-time | Prepare for technician or applied technical roles involving testing, troubleshooting, manufacturing, or equipment operation. | Specific program accreditation, math and lab requirements, co-op opportunities, and written credit-transfer agreements. |
| Pre-engineering or engineering-transfer associate (AS/AES) | Often about two years before transfer | Complete foundational math, science, and engineering courses toward a bachelor's program. | Acceptance and course equivalencies at the receiving university. Transfer is not automatic and this associate degree is not itself a PE credential. |
| Bachelor's in engineering technology (BSET or equivalent) | Often about four years total | Build deeper applied knowledge for complex systems, testing, implementation, and some engineering-related roles. | Whether the specific program has ETAC accreditation and whether your intended state accepts that education for PE licensure, if that is a goal. |
| Bachelor's in engineering (BS/BSE or equivalent) | Often about four years, sometimes longer | Study engineering science, modeling, analysis, and design; pursue the usual academic route toward PE licensure. | Whether the exact degree program is EAC accredited, its math prerequisites, and the licensing rules where you intend to practice. |
For an accredited program's actual curriculum, consult the current catalog and ABET's engineering and engineering technology program guidance. For a fuller degree-by-degree comparison, see our engineering technology versus engineering guide.
What kind of engineering-related training can you study?
There isn't one universal engineering trade-school curriculum. These are several common directions. Program names and the work they prepare you for can overlap, so look at course lists rather than relying only on marketing labels.
Electrical and electronics technology
Learn to work with electronic components, electrical measurements, circuits, and testing equipment. Some programs emphasize industrial control systems; others prepare students for electronics service or technical support. Explore electronics training options.
Mechanical engineering technology
Study mechanical components, manufacturing processes, CAD, materials, and product testing. The emphasis may be on design support, fabrication, or troubleshooting. See mechanical engineering technician programs.
Automation, robotics, and mechatronics
Combine mechanical and electrical systems with sensors, programmable controllers, and automated equipment. Check how much time is spent using actual machinery. Explore robotics and automation training.
Civil technology, construction, and drafting
Programs may focus on surveying support, materials testing, technical drawings, or construction processes. Drafting and civil engineering technology are not the same credential as a civil engineering degree. Compare drafting and CAD training.
What about software or cloud engineering? Those program titles often lead toward computing, IT, or software careers rather than the traditional professional engineering licensure pathway. They may be valuable programs in their own right. Verify the exact degree, curriculum, and accreditation category instead of assuming that every program using the word engineer has the same meaning.
Accreditation and professional engineering licensure: know the difference
ABET accredits individual degree programs, not an entire university. It also does not accredit standalone certificates or training courses. For engineering-related degrees, two commissions are particularly relevant:
- EAC (Engineering Accreditation Commission): Accredited engineering programs at the bachelor's and master's levels. An EAC-accredited engineering bachelor's degree is generally the most straightforward academic foundation for PE licensure.
- ETAC (Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission): Accredited engineering technology programs at the associate and bachelor's levels. The emphasis is generally more applied. ETAC accreditation is not the same as EAC accreditation.
Licensing is a separate question from getting a job. Many engineering-related technical jobs do not require a Professional Engineer license. In roles where a PE license matters, NCEES describes the usual pathway as qualifying education, acceptable work experience, and the FE and PE examinations, subject to the rules of the board where you apply.
Those rules are not identical nationwide. For example, New York's official licensing guidance lists different experience-credit requirements for qualifying EAC engineering and ETAC engineering technology bachelor's degrees. If licensure might matter to you, ask the state board about the exact degree program before you enroll.
For the deeper distinction, including how EAC, ETAC, coursework, and career paths compare, read engineering technology vs. engineering.
Can you take engineering technology programs online?
Some engineering technology degrees use online or hybrid coursework, but that does not mean every technical skill can be learned from a video or simulation. Ask which courses use physical equipment, home lab kits, remotely operated hardware, or in-person sessions. Check whether required labs, proctored work, internships, or campus visits are realistic from where you live.
ABET applies its accreditation criteria across delivery methods and maintains information about fully online accredited programs. Verify the specific program and delivery arrangement; don't assume that an on-campus program's status automatically tells you everything about an online option.
What do engineering technicians and engineers earn?
These national figures show why it is important to compare occupations, not just degree names. A program may prepare graduates for several kinds of work, and a job title alone does not prove which credential an employer will accept.
| Occupation | 2025 median annual pay | 2025-2035 projected growth |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and electronic engineering technologists and technicians | $78,190 | 2.4% |
| Mechanical engineering technologists and technicians | $74,510 | 1.3% |
| Electro-mechanical and mechatronics technologists and technicians | $73,900 | 2.6% |
| Industrial engineering technologists and technicians | $66,120 | 3.1% |
| Mechanical engineers | $104,110 | 11.2% |
Source: BLS occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025-2035 (May 2025 OEWS wage estimates). Median wages describe employed workers across experience levels. They are not starting salaries, school-graduate outcomes, promises of employment, or pay attributable to a particular program.
Nine questions to ask an engineering school before you pay
A program can sound perfect until the fine print reveals a different credential, insufficient lab access, or credits that do not transfer where you need them. Ask for written answers to these questions:
- What exact credential will I receive? Ask for the catalog page showing the award, program name, and required courses, not just a brochure headline.
- What jobs is this program designed to prepare me for? Request specific occupational titles and ask how any graduate employment statistics were collected.
- What accreditation applies to this exact program? Distinguish institutional accreditation from EAC, ETAC, or another program-level accreditation. Verify any ABET claims directly.
- How much real laboratory time is required? Ask what equipment you use, where you use it, and whether online students must travel.
- How much math and physics will I study? Look at actual prerequisites. If you're planning a future engineering bachelor's degree, make sure the sequence matches its entry requirements.
- Which credits transfer to my intended next school? Get a written evaluation or documented articulation agreement from the receiving institution. An applied associate degree is not automatically two years toward an engineering bachelor's.
- What is the full cost to finish? Include tuition, mandatory fees, lab kits, software, tools, textbooks, transportation, and any required campus visits. Ask how repeat courses affect the bill.
- Does this exact program qualify for the aid or financing I'm considering? Confirm eligibility with the school's financial aid office and compare the borrowing terms.
- Are there location or licensing restrictions? For online study, verify residence-state eligibility and required labs. If PE licensure is a possible future goal, contact the state board about this particular degree.
Shortcut worth taking: Compare two or three real course catalogs side by side. A program with a familiar name and vague promises can look very different once you compare the math, laboratory, internship, and credential details.
Engineering trade school FAQs
Can I go to trade school to become an engineer?
You can prepare for many engineering-related technical occupations through a trade school, technical college, or community college. But a technical certificate or associate degree is not automatically the education required for a licensed Professional Engineer. If that license is your goal, confirm the engineering degree and state-board pathway first.
Is engineering technology the same as engineering?
No. Both can involve rigorous technical work, but engineering programs commonly emphasize modeling and design analysis, while engineering technology programs put more emphasis on application, testing, and implementation. The accreditation and possible licensing consequences differ. See the detailed comparison.
Can a two-year degree lead to engineering work?
Yes. Engineering technology associate degrees commonly prepare students for technician and technical support occupations. An AS or similar pre-engineering degree may instead be designed for transfer to a four-year engineering program. Those are different goals, and you should verify which one the school offers.
Will an engineering technology associate degree transfer into an engineering bachelor's degree?
Some credits may transfer, but don't count on a seamless third-year entry. Applied technical coursework and calculus-based engineering prerequisites are not always equivalent. Ask the receiving university to evaluate the exact courses before you enroll.
Does every engineering technology program have ABET accreditation?
No. ABET accreditation is program-specific and voluntary. Check the exact degree and institution in ABET's accredited program search. ABET does not accredit standalone workforce certificates.
Is an online engineering technology program a good option?
It may be, particularly if the program meets your career goals and gives you appropriate access to labs and equipment. Confirm any hands-on requirements, travel, state restrictions, accreditation, and total costs. Online delivery alone doesn't establish that a credential fits a particular occupation or licensing pathway.
Choose a program based on the work you want to do
If your goal is hands-on systems work, compare technical certificates and applied engineering technology degrees. If you want an engineering bachelor's degree, focus on the math, transfer, and EAC accreditation requirements from the start. If you're considering software, cloud, or other computing programs, evaluate them for those occupations rather than assuming traditional engineering licensing rules apply.
Review the engineering-related sponsored school listings above, compare the specific programs available in your location, and bring the nine questions with you when you request information. A little credential homework now can save a very expensive detour later.
Sources and verification resources
- ABET: What Programs Does ABET Accredit? and Program Eligibility Requirements.
- ABET: Engineering Technology Criteria, 2026-2027.
- NCEES: Professional Engineer Licensure and New York Office of the Professions: Engineering License Requirements.
- BLS: Occupational Projections and Worker Characteristics, 2025-2035, using May 2025 OEWS national wages.