Manchester has strong engineering programmes across its three main universities – UoM (research-intensive, world-class in materials science), MMU (practice-focused, strong links to regional industry), and Salford (built environment specialists). Manchester itself is a serious engineering city thanks to its industrial heritage and current manufacturing and tech base. This is the guide for engineering students.
Which University for Which Discipline
Mechanical Engineering
UoM: Large programme, strong research reputation, theoretical grounding, good graduate placement. The School of Engineering on Sackville Street.
MMU: More practice-focused. Strong links with automotive, motorsport, and manufacturing industry in the North West.
Salford: Smaller programme, good industry integration, particularly strong in acoustic engineering.
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
UoM: Main option. Strong research across electronic systems, power, and emerging electronics. Connection to the National Graphene Institute and the Henry Royce Institute for materials research.
Salford: Programmes exist but narrower scope.
Civil Engineering
UoM: Large, well-resourced, with a strong research arm.
Salford: Very strong in built environment – quantity surveying, building surveying, construction project management. If you’re aiming at construction industry rather than pure engineering, Salford is often the better choice.
Aerospace Engineering
UoM only for Manchester. Strong programme with industry links to Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, and the broader UK aerospace sector.
Chemical Engineering
UoM has one of the UK’s top chemical engineering programmes. Department is in the Mill Building on Sackville Street. Strong graduate outcomes in oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and process industries.
Computer Science / Software Engineering
UoM: School of Computer Science (Kilburn Building). Large cohort, strong research, good industry recruitment pipeline.
MMU: Good practice-focused programmes. Strong links with Manchester’s growing tech scene.
Salford: Smaller but competent programmes.
Biomedical Engineering
UoM has strong biomedical engineering alongside the medical school. Integrated with research in orthopaedics, rehabilitation, and imaging.
Campus and Facilities
UoM Engineering
The new Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD) is one of the largest university engineering builds in UK history. Opened from 2022, houses the majority of engineering departments. Modern labs, workshops, and teaching spaces. Based at the southern end of the Oxford Road campus.
MMU Engineering
Engineering is based at the All Saints campus. Well-equipped labs for mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering. Access to Maker Space facilities.
Salford Engineering
Based at Peel Park campus. Strong acoustic engineering facilities (the largest university acoustics research facility in Europe). Built environment department has industry-standard project labs.
Placement Year
Engineering programmes at all three universities offer placement year options. Industry placements are a genuine career accelerator – starting salaries for engineering graduates with placement experience are typically 10-15% higher than without. See our placement year guide.
Where engineering students place
- Rolls-Royce (aerospace, marine)
- BAE Systems (defence)
- Airbus (aerospace)
- Siemens (electrical, power)
- AstraZeneca (chemical, pharmaceutical)
- GSK (pharmaceutical process)
- Network Rail (civil, systems)
- Regional consultancies (Arup, WSP, Atkins)
- Automotive (Bentley, JLR via North West supply chain)
- Tech (major firms plus Manchester’s growing scene)
Where Engineering Students Live
UoM engineering students cluster in Fallowfield, Rusholme, and Hulme (Hulme being closer to MECD for fourth-year individual project time). MMU engineering students are more city-centre-based. Salford engineering students often live in Salford near Peel Park. See area comparison.
Professional Development
Industry chartership
Most UK engineering programmes are accredited by the relevant professional body (IMechE, IET, IChemE, ICE, RAeS, etc.). This is important – accredited degrees count toward chartership (CEng) which matters for long-term career progression in engineering.
Check your specific course accreditation. Most UoM, MMU, and Salford engineering programmes have relevant accreditations.
Student membership
Free or heavily discounted student membership of the professional bodies. Join in year 1. Benefits: networking events, industry magazines, CV support, bursaries for students. Most graduates don’t realise how useful these memberships are.
Engineering Societies
All three universities have engineering society clusters:
- Manchester Engineering Society (UoM)
- MMU Engineering Society
- Discipline-specific societies: MECH Soc, CHEM Soc, CivSoc, ElectroSoc, AeroSoc
- Motorsport and Formula Student teams – worth joining if you’re mechanically inclined
- Engineering Without Borders
- Women in Engineering societies
Engineering Workload and Social Life
Engineering degrees are heavier workload than average humanities or social science degrees. Expect 35-40 scheduled contact hours in some weeks plus coursework. Technical modules with labs are particularly demanding.
Maintaining a social life is possible but requires discipline. Engineering students often form tight cohort friendships because you’re in the same classes and group projects all year.
Engineering Graduate Outcomes
Engineering graduate salaries from UoM, MMU, and Salford are typically above the UK graduate average. Starting salaries in 2026 range from £27,000 (general engineering roles at smaller firms) to £40,000+ (specialist roles in oil and gas, aerospace, or investment banking for quantitative engineers).
Manchester’s local economy absorbs many engineering graduates – Trafford Park manufacturing, central Manchester consulting firms, and the growing tech sector all recruit heavily from local universities.