Mechanical Analysis Design
UCSD Division of Extended Studies · La Jolla, CA
- Cost
- $4,360
- Length
- 36 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 30%
Program names and program descriptions appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Occupation titles are translated where O*NET publishes a Spanish name. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 55
- Finished the program
- 100%Based on 32 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 30%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Where California publishes a separate figure for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Mechanical Engineers
Job ads may call this: Test Engineer · Design Engineer · Product Engineer · Project Engineer
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Read and interpret blueprints, technical drawings, schematics, or computer-generated reports.
- Research, design, evaluate, install, operate, or maintain mechanical products, equipment, systems or processes to meet requirements.
- Specify system components or direct modification of products to ensure conformance with engineering design, performance specifications, or environmental regulations.
- Confer with engineers or other personnel to implement operating procedures, resolve system malfunctions, or provide technical information.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Design integrated mechanical or alternative systems, such as mechanical cooling systems with natural ventilation systems, to improve energy efficiency.
- Calculate energy losses for buildings, using equipment such as computers, combustion analyzers, or pressure gauges.
- Investigate equipment failures or difficulties to diagnose faulty operation and recommend remedial actions.
- Recommend design modifications to eliminate machine or system malfunctions.
What this pays in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $83,740 | $125,158 | $177,596 |
| Across California | $84,367 | $134,564 | $209,320 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $134,564per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $132,157
- Projected openings
- 20,280San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 2,520
- Projected change
- +11.5%
- Usually needs
- Bachelor's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Process Technician · Mechanical Designer · Engineering Technologist · Engineering Technical Analyst
- Assemble or disassemble complex mechanical systems.
- Interpret engineering sketches, specifications, or drawings.
- Calculate required capacities for equipment of proposed system to obtain specified performance and submit data to engineering personnel for approval.
- Set up prototype and test apparatus and operate test controlling equipment to observe and record prototype test results.
Show 4 more things this job involves
- Review project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications, procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems such as redesign.
- Provide technical support to other employees regarding mechanical design, fabrication, testing, or documentation.
- Test machines, components, materials, or products to determine characteristics such as performance, strength, or response to stress.
- Draft detail drawing or sketch for drafting room completion or to request parts fabrication by machine, sheet or wood shops.
What this pays in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $53,229 | $79,978 | $122,485 |
| Across California | $59,572 | $89,836 | $128,232 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $89,836per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $79,791
- Projected openings
- 3,330San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 380
- Projected change
- +5.4%
- Usually needs
- Associate's degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- None
No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.
Program details
This is a hybrid or blended program providing both in-person and online instruction.
High-tech companies, such as Apple, Tesla and SpaceX, are eager to understand the characteristics of new materials that are key ingredients of sophisticated products. They are turning to the mechanical engineer to provide them with these answers.The Mechanical Analysis and Design certificate will provide the latest tools and skills necessary for the engineer to develop a wide range of mechanical systems and components. A professional or recent college graduate (typically in the mechanical engineering field) that completes the certificate requirements will accumulate a set of skills needed in current mechanical engineering jobs. The courses consist of both hard and soft skills complementing the mechanical engineers abilities in component and system analysis and design development tools. The courses are designed and classified to train the mechanical engineer further in his field, as well as coordinating with other engineering disciplines and industrial practices.This highly practical will allow the student to apply the knowledge they learn immediately to their current assignments with proficiency. The Mechanical Analysis and Design certificate can be completed in as short as six months.Developed and taught by industry professionalsBecome familiar with SolidWorks, MATLAB, 3D modeling, reverse engineering and injection molding methodologiesHands-on comprehensive training in ANSYS, FEMAP & GD&TPractical experience building off of existing skills and/or education You will have access to dedicated Career Resources Hub with career information, job postings, events and tutorials.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-09-18). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
Ask before you enroll, not after
The order the rules set out starts at the center rather than at the school. Before a center can find somebody eligible for training services it has to gather enough to decide, at a minimum through an interview, evaluation or assessment and career planning. Referring a person to the provider they have chosen and setting up the account both come after that, and both are the center's to do — the account is a payment agreement with the training provider, and it is the provider that is paid through it. So the call belongs before enrolling and before paying. Anyone who has already done either should still ask, and ask what it means for them.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
Metro Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675 and 619-266-4253
4389 Imperial AvenueSan Diego, CA 92113about 14.3 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
East County Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675
151 Van Houten AvePCGEl Cajon, CA 92020about 16.4 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm
South Bay Career CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 619-319-9675
333 H StreetSouth Bay Career Bldg. Suite 1055Chula Vista, CA 91910about 19.1 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5 :00p.m.
At a comprehensive center all the required partner programs can be reached; an affiliate site offers some of them. Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →